A Bad Romance
by Agirl2Nerdy
Summary: Life seems to be falling apart for Wendy Testaburger. School is harder than ever, her long term boyfriend is distant and her friends seem to be ignoring her. To top it all off she's just landed two weeks in detention with her worst enemy, Eric Cartman.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing. South Park and it's characters belong to Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

Bad Romance

Chapter One

Whack! Whack! Whack! Wendy flinched, her fists clutched in anger. Eric Cartman was sitting behind her playing with his ruler. Humming to himself, he let the shinning green plastic hit the dark haired girl more than a couple of times.

"Damnit Eric stop it!" Wendy hissed under her breath. Their eleventh grade maths teacher Miss. Timms was so frail that she could barely hear. Wendy knew that she couldn't rely on the old bidie to dispose of Cartman for her.

Cartman paid no attention to the class president. He continued to hum and whack the ruler harder against her chair.

"Godamnit grow up!" Wendy's hiss became a snarl. Usually his abuse wouldn't have progressed any further. Normally, her boyfriend Stan would have shut him up by now and Cartman being the wuss he was would have cowered.

But Stan wasn't here today, he had gotten a wrist fracture from last week's game and was in hospital having it plastered. Wendy was going to visit him after school. She just couldn't wait to be out of here. Why did last period have to drag so much?

"Ooh is someone on their rags today, heavy flo huh Wendy?" Cartman leant forward in his chair whispering to Wendy with a smirk on his lips.

"Cartman I swear-"

"Swear what? What can you possibly do Wendy? Seriously I'm interested" he still hadn't moved back and Wendy was unnerved by his hot breath on her back. It made the hairs on her neck rise.

"Swear that unless you shut the hell up right now I'll kick you arse after school, I've done it before I can do it again" Wendy snarled but Cartman just sniggered. He finally lent back into his seat chuckling to himself.

Wendy would never let him forget the fact that she had so totally handed his arse to him that one day after school especially since as the two grew older Cartman's antagonist ways only grew worse. Why did Stan still hang out with that arsehole?

It was probably not the best idea to bait him in a fight nowadays anyway. A lot of Cartman's weight had shifted over the years, not that he still wasn't overweight, he was, but he was more solid. His shoulders were broader and his arms more toned. Still an arsehole though.

Just as Wendy thought it was safe to go back to the notes that Miss. Timms was writing down she felt a spit ball hit the back of her head. Seething, she turned around in her chair to see Cartman waving at her. She felt the last drop of her patience boil in her veins as she swung around violently in her desk. She grabbed her maths textbook and smacked it against Cartman's head. Even feeble Miss. Timms couldn't miss that.

"W-w-wendy!" she croaked.

Cartman's ever present smirk seemed to grow larger. "Ah now you've done it" he said.

"Miss Timms I can explain-"

"You can go explain to Mr. Kendall in detention!"

Furious and frustrated Wendy knew there was no point in arguing. She gathered all of her stuff up and Cartman gave her another coy wave.

"See you later girlfriend".

"What took you so long?" Stan smiled up at his long term on again off again girlfriend of the past ten years.

"Freaking Cartman got me detention" Wendy sighed. When she looked up at her boyfriend's smiling face she felt her anger melt away. Stan was one of the most mellow guys she had ever known. He had, after all, somehow managed to remain peacekeeper between Cartman and Kyle over all these years.

Stan opened his arms, his newly plastered hand weighing him down slightly, but it wasn't as if he hadn't had injuries like this before. Wendy fell against him glad that not all guys were like Eric Cartman.

Stan moved his hand up to stroke her hair and then became aware of the cast. "Damnit, guess this going to get in way of things huh" he raised his eyebrows suggestively and Wendy blushed. Despite the fact that all around them couples were jumping in and out of each other's pants, Wendy and Stan had not had sex. Not that Stan hadn't pushed for it. Wendy just didn't feel ready and he respected that.

"So what's been happening at school?" Stan asked.

"You've only been away for like a day Stan" Wendy smiled but she was happy that he wanted to talk.

"Well a day is enough time for the entire town to explode or get taken over by spacemen from the future".

"Nothing that extreme" Wendy sighed. "Bebe is in full swing about this party she's planning at Token's to celebrate the end of semester. You better tell Kyle to watch himself, she's got her eye on him again"

Stan chuckled. "Would do the poor kid some good, he's more stressed about study than you are".

"I'm not stressed about study" Wendy gritted her teeth. It was partly true. She could always arrange for the offending teacher to be blown up if need be. She had developed good contacts in her eighteen years.

"Speaking of Kyle, he's coming around later you can brief him on Bebe's plan of attack yourself" Stan said.

"Oh" Wendy's face fell a little. She had expected to have Stan all to herself for the night but no he and Kyle were joined to the hip. "That's okay I'll go"

"No Wendy that's not what I said, we can hang out together, Kyle doesn't mind".

Wendy knew that wasn't true. She and Kyle got along well enough but for more Stan's sake. He was a nice enough kid and everything but Wendy just couldn't shake the feeling that he didn't like her.

"No really, I don't want to interrupt super best friend time" Wendy couldn't help the trace of sarcasm leaving her lips.

"Wendy please" Stan said holding onto her. "Kyle likes hanging out with you know, he thinks you're cool".

"Stan it's fine" Wendy said a little harsher than she had meant too. She saw the look on Stan's face and leaned in to kiss him. "I'll see you at school tomorrow okay".

Getting time with Stan tomorrow was harder than it should have been. God, he had only missed a day of school and everyone was gathering around the quarterback like he was some kind of saviour. Wendy could barely get near him.

She watched everyone milling around him, signing his cast and asking about the operation. None of them closer than Kyle who had a huge goofy smile plastered across his face. Fuck! Couldn't he just ease off a bit? How much time did they need together?

"Worried Jew Fag is going to steal your boyfriend bitch" a snide voice tickled her ear and she froze. Cartman had somehow snuck up on her and was now just inches away from her.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" she snarled her eyes still on Stan and Kyle. She watched as the red head leaned and whispered something in Stan's ear. The two of them both started laughing uncontrollably. Kyle clapped his friend over the back and made his way to his own locker.

"Can't say I blame you since the Jew rat is looking pretty feminine these days, maybe you should consider a push up bra, some nice shapewear" Cartman leant in closer and Wendy felt herself shiver.

Wendy spun around, Cartman was so close to her that her head nearly collided with his chest. When had he gotten so tall?

"Listen dickwad! How about you find yourself a hobby that doesn't involve stuffing your fat fucking face and taking cheap shots at everyone who walks by! That way you might be able to take the first big steps into getting a fucking life!"

"Wendy Testaberger!" a shocked looking Principle Ronald was staring right at her. Fuck, was nothing going to go right today. "I have never heard such rotten language!"

Well you must be fucking deaf! Wendy wanted to say but didn't. That was probably the cleanest piece of language that the Principle was likely to hear in these corridors.

"I apologize sir but you see Cartman here was-"

"No excuses! Report for detention sign up!" The Principle cut her off. "I think a week should do it"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha" Cartman mocked.

"You too Eric!"

Wendy felt a childish urge to poke her tongue out at him but somehow restrained herself.

"Bitch!" Cartman muttered as Wendy turned on her heal and stomped towards room 205 hoping to shake off Cartman.

No such luck.

"Oh nooo, Wendy's got detention! Guess she can kiss Harvard and Yale goodbye" Why did he also have to stay so close to her?

"Watch it fatass! You want to get beat up again?"

"Oh boy that's real original really? Bravo, Wendy, Bravo".

Wendy sighed. A whole week in detention with this dick was going to kill her.

Wendy found her best friend Bebe in the lunch room in their spare period. She sat herself down beside her opening up her bag to get her books out.

"Wow" Bebe said noticing her friend's aggressive demeanor. "Go on, what's up?"

"Grrrr" Wendy spat exasperated.

Bebe turned away from her notebook to stare. Wendy had been so stressed lately because of the exams but this was a bit much.

"Is it Stan?'"

"No it's not Stan!" Wendy snapped. Although his distant behaviour hadn't exactly been helping.

"Whoa! Okay, okay" the blonde haired girl placed a reassuring hand on her best friend's shoulder. "We have a whole spare for you to tell me about it, then you can help me narrow down my selection of dresses for the party".

Wendy gaped. She saw that her best friend was not actually doing her homework but had actually gathered a selection of photos of herself in a variety of dresses and was writing down the pros and cons of each. Unbelievable.

Bebe, of course was undeniably the most beautiful girl at school, ever since primary school when she started growing boobs before any of the other girls she had managed to hold the boy's attention. She could have had any guy or possibly a few girls that she set her eye on, but she had her eye firmly fixed on Kyle for as long as Wendy could remember and he just didn't seem to return the affection.

Wendy sighed deeply. "It's nothing, and everything" she started. "Cartman got me into trouble again and now I have to spend a whole week in detention with him".

"Bummer" Bebe said more interested in her collection of photos.

"It's like, I can't get rid of him wherever I go he's following me, like's he got a radar for whenever I fuck up" Wendy went on not really caring that the blonde girl wasn't listening, she just needed to get it off her chest.

"He does seem to have it in for you, don't take it personally Wendy, that guy picks on everyone" Bebe tried to put effort into being sympathetic but she just couldn't' take her eyes of the dresses. She had to admit she looked good, it was going to be hard to choose.

"Can you leave the dresses for a moment, I've got to spend a whole week of detentions with him, what am I going to do?"

Bebe looked up surprised at the outburst. "I think you're being a bit dramatic Wends, they'll be plenty of people in detention that he'll pick on over you, so long as there's a red head or a Jew or an African American, or a homosexual or a hippie or a midget or a Canadian or a-" Bebe paused realizing how useless it was to go on since Cartman basically had it out for the entire human race "you'll be fine".

Stan met Wendy at her locker at the end of the school day. It was the first time that she had talked to him all afternoon.

"Hey" He said with a smile moving into kiss her. "You want come over tonight, it will just be me, well and Shelley but she'll probably go out".

Wendy sighed. "I've got detention, thanks to your friend Cartman"

Stan took a step back surprised at the vitriol.

"Whoa the Principle gave you detention for that?"

"He said that he'd never heard such bad language" Wendy folded her arms annoyed.

Stan burst out laughing.

"It's not funny Stan".

"Sorry" Stan said doing the best he could to wipe the smile from his face. "It's just swearing pretty much makes up the majority of everyone's vocabulary in South Park".

"I know" Wendy said slumping against her locker. "So, I'm sorry I can't come over okay, I better go, I'm running late"

She kissed him quickly on the lips and hurried off to detention hoping that Bebe was right about Cartman.

Walking down the hallway to the detention room, she opened the door and found an empty room. Well, she was early. How many kids would come to detention early, she thought.

Sitting down at the desk she opened up a book. How bad could this really be? It would be easier to study here than it would be at home. Apart from the blotch on her permanent record it really wasn't a punishment at all.

"And so the fun begins"

Wendy jumped. Cartman had snuck up on her, since he was no longer as blobby he could move around like a snake. Suited him really.

"Can't you just leave me alone Cartman" Wendy didn't have the mental strength for these kind of quips today, maybe if she didn't retaliate he would just leave her alone.

"Whatever you know you want me ho" Cartman leaned on her desk leering suggestively. Wendy hit his elbow and the prick fell face down. Wendy couldn't help but laugh.

"You'll pay for that bitch! Mess this beautiful face up"

"Didn't really take much effort" Wendy said feigning carelessness. "Most of my work was already done for me"

Cartman didn't look put out he simply raised his eyebrows. "Really? So then why do you keep staring at me Wendy? Explain that one to me hmmm"

His face was perilously close to her own. If either of them moved forward an inch they would have touched noses. Wendy froze trying to gather her thoughts and then realized she couldn't think of anything to say. Words had utterly failed her. She just stared at Cartman trying to vocalize her anger, trying to vocalize something…. Anything. Goddamn where was their supervisor.

She felt herself turn red. Cartman snickered.

"I know you can't resist me" he said. This time Wendy was able to clench her fist and hit Cartman square in the jaw.

"Ms. Testaberger!"

There was the fucking supervisior.

"You know that violence isn't the solution that's another week of detention for you!"

Cartman poked his tongue out at her then slid away finding a desk to sit at.

"Ah not so fast Eric, since it is somewhat miraculously only the two of you in detention today, we're going to have you do something more practical, grab your stuff and follow me".

The pair of them groaned and followed the supervisor, Mr. Kendall, down the hall and to the library.

"Okay, all of these books need shelving, we have the shelves set up at the back here, where I'll be able to supervise, detention isn't over until they all stacked away neatly and in alphabetical order okay!"

Wendy sighed there must have been hundreds of boxes of books. She knew that Cartman wasn't going to help her. She opened up a box and started sorting the books into piles. Mr. Kendall waited for all of five minutes before going to make a call. Leaving the pair completely unsupervised.

Wendy turned to Cartman frustrated. He had made a pretence of helping while the counselor was still there but had now pulled out his iphone and began playing with an app.

"Aren't you going to help at all fatass!"

"Why should I? If only we could call some godamn Mexicans, they'd do this"

"You're such a racist prick!"

"How is that racist? I'm just saying they're helpful, that's all"

"You're saying that certain work is below you!" Wendy took a step closer and pointed her finger into Cartman's face. Why was she getting so close to him?

Cartman put the ipod away and grabbed hold of her finger. Smirking for a moment he bent his head down and licked it.

A spark shot through Wendy's body and she immediately stepped away. "Gross!"

"You know you liked it" Cartman said to Wendy's surprised he had actually turned away and was opening up the boxes preparing to sort the books inside.

"Whatever" Wendy snapped, trying to go back to the books, still blushing. Why did she let him get to her so much? She couldn't wait until detention was over.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Wendy skated across the ice of Stark's pond. The day was bright but still freezing despite the sun. The dark haired girl didn't mind the cold weather, it meant that she more or less had the pond to herself. She was free to try out new tricks without fear of taking someone's eye out with the sharp blades of her skates.

But as she looked up she realized that she wasn't alone. A tall dark figure appeared across the other side of the ice. Wendy squinted, against the sun it was difficult to make him out.

"Wendy!" Stan cried out as soon as she recognized him and she broke out into a smile. "There you are!"

He skated across to her with the ease of an Olympic ice hockey player but without the aggression. He drew her into his warm arms and held her.

"I love you Wendy" he whispered against her neck.

"Oh Stan" Wendy sighed as he kissed her forehead.

"Wendy you're the girl I want to be with" Stan continued. "I've known it always, I've always, always loved you"

Lifting her up in his arms Wendy felt euphoric she was almost on the verge of tears.

"Stan, I love you too" she had never said it before. Not once in all these years.

He chuckled and Wendy leant down to kiss him and felt her blood freeze like the ice below her. She felt as though she had hurtled downwards through thousands of miles through a frozen hell.

Stan was no longer holding her in his arms. Cartman was. He lowered her to her feet.

"I've always loved you Wendy, you know it" and before Wendy could regain her senses or in fact control of her limbs Cartman bent down and kissed her.

"AARRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHH!" Wendy shrieked waking up the cat who had been sleeping peacefully beside her.

She pulled herself out of bed still panting heavily. She could still feel the heat in her cheeks. What the fuck was that all about? Slapping herself until she was fully awake she took a deep breath trying to figure out what had just happened.

"Oh god, what the hell is wrong with me?" she tried to shake the dream from her mind. What did dreams mean anyway? They were just your subconscious playing tricks, it wasn't like this was her future. But why did they have to be so godamn vivid?

She turned back to her bedside table and realized that it was only three in the morning. Maybe if she just got back to sleep now she would forget about that stupid dream and she could continue as normal.

Pulling back the covers Wendy laid in the fetal position clutching onto her knees tightly. She took a few deep breaths, trying to slow her heart rate.

"Come on" She spoke aloud. "It's not like you haven't had a weird dream like that before, remember the rat people? The gnomes".

She tried to shift her attention to someone she enjoyed spending time with and looking at. Stan's soft blue eyes appeared before her and she smiled to herself. Wendy remembered how he had hugged her the other day and how tender he had been. She knew that Cartman wouldn't be tender he would be rough and passionate and

"Ugh! Goddamn it! I need a long shower!"

Wendy didn't get anymore sleep that night and instead tried to distract herself with homework. She rocked up at school the next day with dark baggy eyes. She'd even convinced herself that they were bad enough to wear makeup. Unlike most girls, Wendy Testaberger didn't wear makeup everywhere she went. She didn't consider it necessary.

Today, however was a special case.

She walked up to Stan who was putting books away at his locker hoping for a cheer up hug.

"Whoa you look like crap!"

"Thanks Stanley! You'd look like crap too if you been kept up all night trying to study because Cartman got you detention".

"Dude, I'm sorry" Stan leant over and kissed the top of her head in truce. "But you don't need to study, you're already top of the class"

"But Cartman has put me behind schedule! With exams coming! I might never catch up"

"Babe calm down seriously, I thought you had detention last night, why couldn't you study then?"

"Stupid Kendall had us sorting books in the library, there were so many of them and we're still not finished!"

"Sucks dude" Stan looked away from her to wave at his best friend.

"Dude! You study for biol test today? I'm freaking out I'm not sure if I can completely describe the difference between molecular structures and-" Kyle gushed before he realized that Wendy was looking at him her eyebrows narrowed.

"Oh hi Wendy" he said briefly acknowledging her but quickly turned back to Stan. "Seriously, I'm glad it's only twenty percent"

"You'll be fine braniac" Stan assured him with a friendly pat on the shoulder. "You always ace those tests"

"Yeah well" Kyle blushed. "Can't ever seem to take best mark from Wendy" The red head tried to smile at her but Wendy felt the animosity. Why? It wasn't her fault that Kyle didn't study as hard as her or wasn't as good at blackmailing the markers or whatever.

"Oh hey guys" saved by the bell. Bebe, in one of her more provocative outfits was storming towards them. She flicked her eyes towards Kyle for a moment before leaning in to Wendy and whispering in her ear. "I think I've found the perfect dress, come with me to the mall later".

She leant back and winked. Wendy saw Stan and Kyle swap a glance. She knew that Bebe liked pretending to flirt with her to get attention and it definitely worked but it made her uncomfortable.

"So Kyle" Bebe said with a flick of her hair as she turned away from Wendy. "Hope you're not going to let the exams get in the way of the big party this weekend?"

"Ugh well, l - we kind do have that big maths exam on Monday morning" Kyle began clutching his textbooks firmly to his chest.

"Oh that's fine, study Saturday go out Saturday night, recover Sunday and you'll be fine" Bebe said softly edging Stan out of the way so that she could get closer to Kyle.

"Yeah come on Kyle" Stan added encouragingly. "You can't study all weekend, I won't let you"

"I'm not going to let you either" Bebe smiled grabbing onto Kyle's arm. "Me and Stan will have to form a team if we have too, won't we Stan?"

"Um sure"

Realizing that they had already forgotten about her Wendy slipped off to her locker without saying anything. She turned her head over her shoulder to see Bebe stroking Kyle's shoulder. The poor boy looked scared stiff.

"Looks like you don't have to worry about Kyle for a while" Wendy shivered at the sound of Cartman's voice. As soon as he spoke she recalled her dream and found herself wishing for another long shower.

But wait. Did he just smile at her as he walked past? A friendly smile that shared a joke with her rather than a smirk caused by her own misfortune?

No. Couldn't have been. He had the permanent smirk on his face that was all. Wendy tried to shake it from her mind.

Bebe waltzed up to her best friend with a huge smile on her face.

"Oh no" Wendy sighed trying to turn her attention back to her textbooks before it was too late.

"Guess whose going to be my date to the party on Saturday?" she grinned.

"Butters" Wendy snapped. Kyle was right, the first period test in biology was harder that they thought it would be and she hadn't done as well as she would have liked.

"Come on" Bebe rolled her eyes. "He's gotta be one of the last virgins in our year, no fun"

Wendy shot her best friend a look.

"Not that there's anything wrong with virginity and all" Bebe sat down next to Wendy. "But at least Kyle has a bit of experience with girls"

Wendy snorted. Somehow she just couldn't imagine Kyle accumulating any significant experience with girls and living to tell about it. Then she realized. "What? You got Kyle to agree to go with you?"

"Well" Bebe looked away. "Sorta, I mean I kind of arranged with Stan to go with the pair of you, sort of like a double date kind of thing, if that's all right. Kyle doesn't actually know about it yet but that should be cool yeah?"

Wendy bit her lip to keep herself from laughing. It hardly seemed like Kyle had voluntarily agreed to this it sounded more like a hostage plan.

"Whatever" Bebe grew defensive at her friend's reaction. "You were drawn to Stan because he puked on you"

"Hey, that's not true", Wendy cast her eyes over the cafeteria to where Stan and his friends were sitting. "Stan's a great guy"

She watched as Kenny tried to show him something in a magazine. Wendy didn't have to stretch her imagination far to realize what type of magazine it was. To his left Kyle had a thick book open and had his head buried in it. It was a somewhat peaceful scene until Cartman waltzed up a smile on his face.

"You guys!" he exclaimed so loudly that half the cafeteria heard him. He didn't seem to care. He was used to be the centre of attention all of the time, in fact he thrived on it. After the three boys ignored him for a minute he began to taunt Kyle.

Bebe rested her chin on her head gazing over at her object of affection. "Wendy, do you reckon Cartman likes Kyle?".

"What stupid question is that?" Wendy asked back. "He hates him more than anyone".

"No, I'm serious" Bebe said and her tone seemed to reflect it. "I mean look how he singles him out all the time, it's like he's insecure about it so it turns into hatred. You know how like when we were younger we always picked on the ones we liked the most".

"You need to stop reading those Psychoanalysis books" Wendy didn't want to engage in a conversation so stupid.

"Okay, but just think of what a great case study he'd be for Psychology" Bebe laughed. "Cartman, do you have any issues with your father?"

Despite Bebe's interest, Wendy had no intention of grilling Cartman in detention. She simply walked down the hall and into the library and started shelving the countless books. Letting herself get into a methodical rhythm of stepping up the ladder and thumbing along the books so that she could put the new on in the right place.

It really wasn't so bad. Tomorrow she would remind herself to bring her ipod or something. It was almost like a workout. Their supervisor, Kendall had disappeared completely and Cartman was actually helping today, if a little half heartedly.

"Whoa! Don't fall Wendy!" The devil had appeared at the foot of her ladder and was shaking it. Not badly enough to actually make her fall, just enough to scare her.

"Cartman!" Wendy cried. You could never tell Cartman to stop or don't. He just saw it is a challenge.

Gripping tightly onto the ladder whilst it shook again, Cartman smirked.

"God you're such a fucking arsehole!" she said climbing down. The comradeship in which the pair of them shared a smile even a joke earlier today had been short lived or possibly even imaginary. She wished that it didn't make her sad.

"Wow, Wendy totally original" Cartman smirked picking up another single book.

"You know declaring something original in a sarcastic manner is pretty unoriginal too" Wendy really wasn't in the mood for this.

"Who said anything about sarcasm, I was just applauding your efforts, fucking areshole, really made me think. You really offer a new perspective on life Wendy".

"Shut up fatarse" Wendy sighed. She didn't have the energy for venom.

"So you have been looking at my arse Wendy" Cartman winked. The look in his eye was eerily similar to the one

"It's pretty hard to miss" Wendy picked up another load of books.

"I know you can't stop looking at me" Cartman reached out to stroke her hair but Wendy slapped his hand away. She knew that humiliating people sexually was one of Cartman's favourite methods of bullying. She had watched disgusted as he belittled Kyle who seemed to be his favourite target and Butters who gave him a less satisfying reaction for years. It seemed like he didn't care how much he degraded himself just so long as his victim was made as uncomfortable as possible.

It really was an unfair technique. Wendy could hardly retaliate in the same manner because she knew that Cartman would be completely prepared to go one up on her efforts.

"Shut the fuck up and help me with these books!" Wendy snapped doing her best not to look in his direction "Otherwise this is going to take us all year!"

But he hadn't moved and continued to stare her down intently. Unafraid to openly check her out letting his eyes linger. Wendy shivered. He had her completely trapped between the shelves. He was so close she could hear his breathing. She could feel her heart rate rising and her hands growing hot.

"Cartman! Get out of my way!" Wendy hissed when he still hadn't moved.

He stood perfectly still one of his manipulative smirks slowly spreading across his face. Wendy suddenly felt afraid. It had only just dawned on her how large he was. If he wanted to attack her she wouldn't be able to do anything but scream for help.

"Come on Wendy why do you keep denying this? We both know you want me" that fake seductive voice again.

Wendy blushed, furious at herself for recalling her dream at the worst possible moment.

"Cartman, please just let me-" she weakly indicated the box of the books that was lying just past him. "Please".

It was then he did something surprising. He held out his arms in a rare moment of truce and stepped aside without saying a word. Wendy's mouth nearly fell open. She brushed past him and collected some more books. The rest of the detention was passed in silence.

A/N – Hey all. Thanks for following me to chapter two. I seriously wrote three different versions of this, I think I'm happy with this one but let me know what your thoughts. I really appreciate the input. Hope you enjoyed :)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The rest of the school week passed pretty uneventfully for Wendy. Their biology teacher, Ms Green went over their concerns with their most recent test and Bebe had finally settled on an outfit for the party. The exams were drawing close and Wendy was doing all she could too remain stress free.

She had remembered to take her ipod to detention and was able to drown out the sound of Cartman's voice whilst she arranged the books. Well, that is, if she would have been able to if he had made any effort to talk to her. But since cornering her in the library he had completely ignored her. He had even passed her by when she had slipped on the newly washed corridor floor and fell on her ass.

Everybody else had laughed but he hadn't even looked in her direction. Wendy supposed she should be pleased about this. But she couldn't help realizing that Cartman looked a little lonely, there was a sad expression on his face that she had never seen before. He seemed to be even distancing himself from Stan and Kyle. Wendy didn't want to feel sorry for him but she did. There was something wrong with that kid. Well, she already knew that but this was something else. He sure was finding his way into her thoughts a lot lately but at least he had stayed away from her dreams.

Wendy had arranged to go over to Bebe's early so they could get ready for the big party at Token's together. Token had by far the best house in Southpark, it was perfect for a party and Bebe was perfect at convincing any male to do anything for her.

That is, except for Kyle. Stan had explained that Bebe would be coming with them to the party and he'd been less than thrilled. He was even threatening not to come. Wendy couldn't understand why he was making such a big deal about it. It was just one night of precious study that he'd have to sacrifice.

"Okay" Bebe took a deep breath as she looked over her dress for the night. It was a rich red with a low cut neckline that made the most of her curves. She looked amazing in it. So amazing that Wendy was fearful that Stan might have trouble looking away from her. "I'm starting to have second thoughts, maybe I should go with the black one instead".

"No", even if Bebe was dangerously beautiful in that dress, Wendy wasn't that bad of a friend to convince her to wear something else. "The dress is perfect it even matches Kyle's hair"

"Oh god! I didn't think of that!" Bebe clasped her hands to her mouth. "The photos would look awful".

Wendy put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Come on, you know Kyle never ever takes off his hat, wear the dress okay".

Bebe looked hesitant. "If you're sure", she sighed.

Wendy had never seen the blonde beauty look so nervous. "Why are you putting in all this effort for Kyle?"

"Because I really, really like him", Bebe cried. "And he doesn't even notice me"

"He's just a little socially awkward that's all" I said playing with her hair. "He'll figure it all out when you turn up in that dress tonight".

"Awww, you're the best Wendy" Bebe smiled. "Now we've got to decide what you're gonna wear!"

All of life's troubles for Bebe seemed to disappear when there were clothes to discuss and try on.

Wendy humoured her by trying on several dresses though she was already fairly sure that she was going with her green one.

Bebe snorted when she suggested it. "Come on girl you've got to show a bit of skin, live a little you know, wear that black one of mine seriously".

Wendy stared at the low v neck. There was no way that she was wearing that. No freaking way. That kind of thing would only look good on Bebe. Sure, Wendy didn't consider herself terrible but even if she sold her soul to the devil she would never have a body as good as her friend's.

Bebe saw the look on her best friend's face. "Oh no you don't, it's my job to make you look good".

"But not to make me look like a hooker".

"Go on try it on, if you don't like it you don't have to wear it", Bebe handed her the dress and Wendy reluctantly wriggled out of her clothes.

"So who else is coming?" she asked whilst Bebe looked over her ever growing collection of shoes. Most of them were tokens of appreciation from Craig throughout the years.

"I think nearly everyone in the year" Bebe relied. "There are a couple of girls like Red and Martha who said they can't make it coz of other stuff but whatever".

Wendy had pulled the dress on, it only just fitted over her. Bebe looked up and smiled.

"Wow! You look hot!"

"I'm not wearing this" Wendy replied. "So uh you mean everyone in the class is coming except Red and Martha?"

"Yeah pretty much" Bebe said. "Would you just look at yourself in that dress!"

"Sooo" Wendy sighed still fishing for information. "Does that mean Cartman is going to be there?"

Bebe's eyes narrowed.  
"Why?" she asked her tone becoming sharp with suspicion. "You want to ask him for a dance?"

"Please, I just want to know how much I can enjoy myself", Wendy blurted and Bebe stared. "You know how hard it is when he's around"

Bebe shrugged. "I wouldn't worry, he won't pick on you when he has Kyle to be an asshole to".

"Yeah" Wendy looked at herself in the mirror. The dress did seem more appropriate for an attention whore but she had to admit it was better than her green one.

"You know, I think I will wear this" she said spinning around to check herself out. "Stan will appreciate it".

She told herself that was her reason anyway.

Several hours later and Bebe was applying the finishing touches to Wendy's makeup. They had music blaring and Bebe had already broken into their large supply of alcohol. They hadn't had too much, just enough to make them a little tipsy.

"That boyfriend of yours, doesn't know how lucky he is", Bebe said fixing her friend's eye shadow. "You're going to have all the guys after you tonight".

Wendy snorted, Bebe was so stunning in her red dress that she felt ashamed to be near her.

The boys were due to arrive any moment and Wendy's nerves were giving way to excitement. This couldn't be any worse than their exams. She did look pretty good in Bebe's dress too, of course her parents would kill her if they ever saw her in something like this but right now she didn't really care.

There was a knock on Bebe's door.

"Bebe! The boys are here" her mother called.

Bebe squealed grabbing onto Wendy's hand a little too tightly.

"Oww" Wendy groaned shaking her hand after Bebe had let go.

"Oh my god Wendy, oh my god!"

"We'll be down in a minute Ms. Stevens" Wendy called out before turning to Bebe. "Relax, this isn't a big deal".

"Easy for you to say, you've already got the guy you like twisted around your little finger" Bebe said.

"Ah yeah, I guess I do" Wendy had never thought of it like that. "But you will have Kyle wrapped around yours as soon as he sees that dress on you".

They took a few more moments to make sure that their outfits were perfect. It didn't hurt making their escorts wait a little while anyway.

"Are you ready?" Wendy asked Bebe who nodded shaking out her hair that she had decided to leave loose.

Wendy opened her best friend's door and the two of them walked downstairs. The stairs made for a perfect movie star entrance with the boys waiting at the door. Well, so long as neither of the girls tripped and smashed their faces in which was highly likely in the shoes they were wearing.

Wendy walked outside smiling as soon as she saw Stan who was looking smart in a new shirt. Kyle however was looking less than impressed and hadn't made as much effort. His green hat was easily keeping his red hair safe from clashing with Bebe's dress.

"Hey guys" Wendy called out but then she froze and the smile vanished from her face as she realized that Stan and Kyle weren't alone. Eric Cartman was staring up at her an unreadable look on his face. She grew immediately conscious about her overexposed body and realized in horror that Bebe was holding onto her coat.

She stared back at Cartman and felt an urge to run back into her best friend's room and hide there for the rest of the night. She told herself to move but she just couldn't. She waited for the inevitable cutting insult that was about to come her way. Stan looked over at his friend trying to figure out what was going on.

"Stop checking out my girlfriend dude".

Cartman finally turned his head away from Wendy and she was suddenly able to move.

"Kyle!" Bebe cried with a flick of her hair she hurried down to hug her date. "You look cute!"

"Umm you look really nice too Bebe" Kyle replied.

Wendy offered Stan a quick kiss on the cheek hoping that he hadn't noticed that she was desperately trying to keep her eyes away from Cartman. Unlike Kyle, the fat kid really had made an effort. He had a nice crisp shirt and jacket, his hair was neat, he almost looked good. Wendy bit her lip. Not that she was checking him out or anything. That's was absurd, she was just trying to figure him out that was all.

"Are you okay?" Stan said whispering in her ear. He had an uneasy look on his face.

"Yeah" Wendy smiled. "You look really good" she said.

"And you" Stan said in disbelief. "I mean wow, is this a new dress?"

"One of Bebe's" Wendy explained shortly.

Cartman still hadn't said anything. The compulsive attention seeker had been quiet for the longest Wendy had ever known and that included classes when someone was trying to explain emergency instructions that would save their lives. He didn't even say anything to defend himself against Stan's accusation that he was checking her out. Not even to call her a slut or a ho.

"Oh Cartman, didn't think you were coming" Bebe finally addressed him. Wendy kept her eyes on the floor. "What changed your mind?"

"Well you know anything to get away from my mum she's such a bitch" Cartman finally spoke.

"Okay cool, well, are we going to go?" Bebe turned her attention back to Kyle latching onto her arm. Wendy saw Stan send a quick glance in the direction of her blonde friend. She knew that he was checking her out and she felt a small twitch of jealousy in her stomach.

"Yeah let's go" Kyle said fishing for his keys.

"Wait! You're driving?" Bebe asked looking away from Kyle to glare at Stan. "I thought that Stan was going to drive so that you could drink".

"No it's okay, I don't really want to drink, it's cool" Kyle said and Bebe fumed. Her plans had been foiled and the many bottles of wine she had bought would now go to waste. Bebe didn't even drink wine.

"You kids have fun!" Bebe's dad called from the lounge room. They called out their thank yous before heading out to the car. The night was clear outside. Wendy wished she had Bebe's ability to walk in high heels. There was no new snow falling but the Stevens' footpath was still slippery. Stan put an arm around Wendy as they headed towards Kyle's rust bucket of a car.

Cartman still hadn't said anything. It was unnerving, like waiting for a bomb to explode. You knew it was going to happen you just weren't sure when and every moment it was building.

Kyle unlocked the car and slide into the driver's seat, Bebe quickly made sure that she was first to the passenger seat beside him. Cartman shot her a dirty look that she was too busy looking at Kyle to get.

Stan opened the door for Wendy with his non plastered arm.

"Ladies first" he said smiling.

Wendy gulped. She wanted to be as far away from that ticking time bomb as possible.

"Couldn't I just um nevermind" realizing it was futile Wendy slid into the middle between Stan and Catman. She tried to lean over on Stan's side so that there was as much distance between her and Cartman as possible but Kyle's tiny car barely allowed for that. She tried to ignore the fact that Cartman's legs were brushing her own and the way it made her shiver.

"Put some music on Kyle" Stan said his arm back around Wendy. Cartman grumbled to himself.

"Shut up Cartman, just because your taste in music sucks" ,Kyle fiddled with the radio.

"At least I can freaking afford to buy a C.D. player instead of a fucking radio, what stations can you pick up in South Park Kahl?"

"Just because your Mum is a slut who charges too much" Kyle snapped back. Wendy rolled her eyes. Token's place was only fifteen minutes away from Bebe's house but the ride suddenly felt as if it would never end.

"You leave my mother out of this Broflovfski!"

Stan didn't seem fussed. He was used to his friend's constant bickering. It was like normal conversation to him. In fact, he was so used to it he was comfortable enough to draw Wendy closer to him and to kiss her neck. In the front seat Kyle rolled his eyes as Stan kissed his girlfriend on the mouth. Wendy could taste just the slightest hint of Jim Bean on his breath. He leant towards her and whispered. "You look so hot" He nipped her on the ear and she blushed.

"Okay Stan" Wendy said trying to push him back a little as he continued to kiss down her neck. The car was too small for them even without Cartman's gigantic island of an ass. "That's enough". She wished that she could somehow forget that Cartman was sitting so closely to them. But his presence was overwhelming, even in the silence he had somehow become the centre of the universe, there was no ignoring him. She felt herself grow hot despite the shit heating in Kyle's car and the cold air that had followed them in.

"Stan, Wendy, I'm sure that Token has many nice bedrooms for you to make out in once we get there, can you please not get my car dirty", Kyle spoke between gritted teeth. Wendy had seen him angry so many times before but this was different. Bebe stupidly reached out to rub his arm but he quickly withdrew it so that she couldn't.

Wendy sighed, this night wasn't turning out so well, perhaps it would be best if they just cut it short.

"Dude chill out" Stan snapped. "We're not going to hurt your precious car all right?" Well, that outburst had made the atmosphere even more tense but at least Stan had let go of her now. Wendy rearranged her coat trying to tug it over her knees to cover up as much of herself as possible.

Kyle grumbled something to himself and everyone fell into silence. Thank fuck Token's house wasn't any further away. Kyle pulled up at the five story mansion amongst the plethora of other cars that were parked there. The pieces of junk clashed horribly with the elegance of the Black's multi-million dollar home.

Turning off the car, Stan leant forward and clapped his friend on the back. "Dude, I'm sorry, thanks for driving".

"S'alright" Kyle turned around and shot Wendy a look. He took a deep breath. "Could you leave us for a moment Wendy?"

She couldn't help but be a little annoyed by the request. What was his problem? Couldn't he see Bebe waiting for him? But of course she couldn't tell him 'no' and drag Stan out of the car with her.

"Yeah sure" she said as smoothly as she could she opened the door and saw in surprise that Cartman's hand was waiting to help her out of the car.

She eyed it suspiciously.

Cartman rolled his eyes. "I'm not gonna drop you bitch, those shoes just look like something Japanese ninjas throw not something you walk in"

"So charming" Wendy said snidely. That was the first they had talked all night. She held her breath as she slipped her hand into his own expecting to be dropped at any moment.

"There, wasn't too bad was it?" Cartman sighed but he left before she could answer. Wendy looked up at Bebe who was eager to go in.

She could already hear mindless party music playing, there were groups of people hanging around the stairs but Wendy couldn't see anyone she recognized. Most of them must have been lurking about inside.

"Come on" Wendy said grabbing on to Bebe's hand. "They're having one of their heart to hearts, they tend to take awhile, let's go in".

Bebe stared back hopelessly at the car where Kyle was having another one of rants and Stan was nodding along trying to be patient. The blonde realized that Wendy was probably right and let Wendy lead her up to the steps of Token's house where the party was waiting.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Wendy had waited for over an hour and still Stan and Kyle haven't joined their dates inside. She wasn't so fussed, it was Bebe she was more upset for her. The blonde hair girl was looking around worriedly whilst numerous guys came up to her to try to catch her attention.

There were a lot of people at the party, including a lot of people that Wendy didn't even know but she wasn't in the mood to make new friends. She instead sat in the corner by herself, her eyes flickered to the clock every now and then. Everyone else was drinking and dancing and generally being crazy. The end of semester had a tendency to bring that out in most people. Wendy herself had a few glasses of wine and could feel a pleasant warm buzz in her head.

"Hey", looking away from the clock Wendy saw that a dark haired guy was looking down at her with a smile on his face. "Not having a good time?"

"Oh" Wendy put on a fake smile and hoped that he would go away. "No, I am, I'm just waiting for someone"

"Please tell me that it's not your boyfriend?" the guy said sliding in to the seat next to her.

"Um, it is actually" Wendy looked around desperately. Where had Bebe got to? "Uh excuse me" she quickly got up realizing how easy she was to prey on when she was sitting all by herself like that.

"Wendy!" Bebe cried out rushing towards her. She had obviously been drinking but she could still walk in those heels. "Have you seen Kyle? I'm having trouble trying to get rid of Kenny. God that kid is so weird!"

"Sshh! You don't need to tell the whole world," Wendy muttered taking the glass of punch from her friend and trying to calm her. They were already attracting attention. "Besides, Kenny's due to die in like fifteen minutes".

Bebe wrapped her arms around Wendy in a drunken show of affection.

"Oh so that's your boyfriend then?" the guy who tried to pick her up before leered.

"Get fucked" Wendy sighed and tugged on Bebe's hand. "Come on, we'll go check the car they can't still be in there".

She skulled the toxic punch in a gulp leaving the glass behind. Immediately she could feel the liquor go to her head and cursed herself for eating so little that day.

The two girls wobbled out onto the Black's front yard, which looked like a fucking botanical garden trying to find Kyle's car.

"Wendy, why doesn't he like me?" Bebe was moments away from drunken sobs. "I mean I don't want to be vain or anything, but I'm hot, what's wrong with me?"

"It's not you, Kyle's a nob that's all" Wendy tried to reassure her friend. It was with some trepidation that she walked up to the car. The darkness of the night made it hard to see but when Wendy peered into the window she could see for sure that it was empty.

"Huh, they must have gone in after all" ,Wendy said steering Bebe around so that they could continue their search within the house.

"Hey Bebe, you look really pretty" a guy called out as they approached the steps.

"Do I even know you?" Bebe called back and Wendy quickly ushered her back into the house. As soon as the door was closed behind them Bebe smiled.

"Kyle!" she cried out rushing towards him. "Where have you been?"

Kyle looked up and Wendy realized surprised that he had been drinking.

"Sorry, got lost" Kyle's words were slurred and his posture a little shaky. It didn't bother Bebe.

"Never mind! Come dance with me!" Bebe pulled on Kyle's sleeve and lead him out to the other drunken dancers leaving Wendy alone again.

So Kyle was there but where the hell was Stan? It was so weird to see one without the other. The two boys were so close it was like looking at the red head without a limb or something.

Wendy watched as Bebe drew Kyle closer to her and started to dance around him in full flirtation mode. She had basically everyone in the room hypnotized. Kyle looked a little awkward but Wendy decided to blame that on his poor sense of rhythm and the fact that the skinny kid couldn't hold his alcohol well.

She smiled. Maybe Bebe was going to get her wish after all. Even without the aid of all that wine.

Her happiness for her best friend quickly disappeared when Stan still didn't emerge. Searching Token's giant house for her boyfriend would take her several weeks.

Walking over to the ornate crystal punch bowl Wendy poured herself another glass. She made her way outside determined not to stare at Bebe any longer. Everyone around her was truly descending into madness. Poor Butters (everyone's favourite victim) was in the process of being glad wrapped to a pole out on the veranda after being striped naked. A group of boys were squirting bottles of barbeque sauce and honey all over him.

To continue with the theme of nudity, the ever up himself Craig had streaked across the Black's massive backyard to whooping cheers and a few squeals and everywhere Wendy looked couples were hooking up.

She quickly moved across the front lawn as a dark haired girl in a short skirt bent over and puked just missing Wendy's shoes.

"Oh my god, so conformist" Wendy looked up at the Goth kids who all took a drag on their cigarette at the same time looking disgusted at the drunk girl. Where the hell could Stan be?

A random pushed a bottle of beer into her hand and Wendy took a swig. Bebe's dress didn't offer much warmth. She wished that she could remember where she had left her coat. The world around her was rapidly becoming blurry. The squealing and shouting was swirling all around her. Why could she never handle her alcohol?

Desperately hoping that she wouldn't catch sight of Craig's bare ass Wendy took her search into the backyard. She was now seriously getting angry. Stan wasn't anywhere he was supposed to be. Token's back yard with it's romantic secluded gardens full of fountains and roses made for the perfect backdrop for lovers. Not for a guy hanging out with his friends.

She made her way through the gardens she tried to avert her eyes from various making out couples who were all in different stages of undress in the middle of the snow no less. She was just about to make her way back when her eyes fell upon Stan.

He was not alone.

He was very far from alone.

Stan was dressed more decently than the horny couples scattered around the yard. The blonde haired girl in arms however was less covered. The top of her dress pulled down as Stan struggled with her bra.

Wendy's chest grew tight. It was as if someone had injected icy water through her veins. She felt her head spin and her knees buckle. She was surprised that she managed to keep on her feet.

"Stan!"

The dark haired boy groggily turned around and the blonde girl cast her a smirk. The coldness of betrayal suddenly turned into intense anger and Wendy clenched her fists striding towards Stan.

He got up quickly almost pushing the girl away from him.

"Wendy please it's not what it looks like" he stuttered and all the clichés started spilling from his mouth.

Reaching out to grab onto her Wendy aimed a knee at his crutch. He only just deflected it.

"You bastard! You bastard!" Wendy snarled aiming punches at him but he was still strong enough to stop her and try to hold her close to him.

"Please let me explain, it really isn't like this, I got tricked I-" he grabbed onto her arms trying to hold her back but all he was doing was creating more of a scene.

"No! I hate you!" Wendy burst out she wanted to hit him again, hurt him, but she realized that she didn't have the strength. People had gathered around to see what all the fuss was about. "I don't ever want to see you!"

"Wendy" Stan reached out she could tell that he was on the verge of tears. She had only seen him cry a few times and he didn't do it easily. She didn't care. She pushed her way through the growing crowd whilst a drunk Stan tried to chase her. She didn't know what she was going to do exactly. Her house was ages from Token's. Too far too walk especially in this state.

But as tears rolled down Wendy's cheeks she was barely thinking of that. A few drunk girls that she didn't know tried to comfort her but she knew that were only there for gossip and not to offer her any help. She shoved them all away.

Luckily, everyone was either too drunk or too occupied to take too much notice. If this had happened at school there would be no escape at all.

Dodging around people and somehow managing not too topple over in her heels Wendy finally found herself a place by herself. Out in the front yard, away from everyone, she could finally take a deep breath before letting herself fall apart.

"You crying ho?"

Fuck. The very last person that she wanted to deal with right now was standing right before her. How fucking typical. She had managed to avoid him all night but he just so happened to turn up right now.

"No, I'm not fucking crying dickhead! Fucking piss off! I'm going!"

"Dude you can't walk back to Bebe's like that. Where's your jacket?"

"I fucking lost it okay!" The tears wouldn't stop now. There was no holding them back. "I've fucking lost everything!"

"Okay you fucking drama queen. Wait here, I'll go get Stan" Cartman said and Wendy desperately grabbed onto him.

"No! Not fucking Stan! No don't! I'll walk" at this Wendy promptly tumbled to the ground and nearly dragged Cartman down with her.

"Whoa okay you can barely stand up straight", Cartman untangled himself from Wendy. "Wait here, I'm gonna get you a cab bitch".

Why was he being so helpful? It was creepy and Wendy felt like she was being tricked somehow. How he had suddenly crept up on her like that. She wasn't exactly adequately prepared for a battle of wits now. She knew that she needed help but the stupid, stubborn, drunk part of her didn't want to accept it. Especially not from Cartman.

Slowly pulling herself to her feet she tried to shake Cartman out of the way.

"I don't need a cab!" she declared and Cartman rolled his eyes.

"Yes you fucking do you stupid whore" Cartman's words were harsh but his voice lacked it's usual venom. "You'll end up walking across the thin ice of Stark's pond and drowning or getting another bad tittie job or something retarded".

"Shut the fuck up Cartman!" Wendy didn't like people seeing her in tears. She was not the type that cried easily. Whilst Bebe and other girls would ball their eyes out at sappy romantic movies and even toilet paper adds with puppies in them, Wendy was more inclined too snort and wish painful deaths the couples. Who was that happy? It was retarded.

"Geez skank face. I'm only trying to fucking help. Perhaps you'd prefer to freeze your freaking tits off but I'm getting you a cab! Take this!" he said pulling off his own jacket and throwing it at her. The zipper hit her in the eye.

Wendy was so upset she could barely make sense of the situation. All she wanted was to do was too magically appear in her nice warm bed and out of this ridiculous dress.

Cartman had turned away from her and was talking into her phone.

"Yeah, it's about fifteen minutes from the centre of town. Listen you won't miss it dude it's a fucking mansion" he was saying.

Wendy shivered the alcohol was slowly loosing it's effect and she could begin to feel the force of the weather outside. She pulled on Cartman's jacket when she was sure he was looking away. It actually smelt nice against all the smoke and other substances in the air. When Cartman wasn't looking she pulled it up over her mouth and breathed in the scent deeply. It was a somewhat comforting device in her current state of anguish.

Cartman put his phone back in his pocket and turned back to Wendy. "Now you can keep be a pain in the ass and I can leave you here to freeze to death or you can follow me to the gate to the taxi".

Wendy choked her sobs back. She desperately wanted to regain control of herself but every time she forced it from her mind she saw Stan with that bimbo. Who fucking flashes a random out in the middle of the snow? She shook her head. The only thing that made this more humiliating was accepting help from Cartman.

"Damnit Testaberger, you're a fucking impossible drunk", Cartman groaned as Wendy tried to back away from him.

Cartman held her up on her feet whilst she aimed a few angry, drunken swipes at him. She was so disorientated that of course none of them connected. Eventually realizing that Wendy wasn't going to follow him willingly and it would probably take him at least fifteen minutes to get her to the waiting taxi Cartman put his hands underneath her arms and hoisted her over his shoulder.

It was a dangerous position to put her in. Her kicking legs were within reach of his crotch. He didn't want to think of the impact those shoes could have on his balls.

"Put me down Cartman!" Wendy furiously hammered on his shoulder and Cartman was vaguely reminded of a scene in Shrek. The Princess in the arms of an Ogre.

Wendy didn't have the strength to keep complaining for more than a minute and she let herself become limp in Cartman's arms. She realized that she was being an impossible bitch but she couldn't help it. Cartman had probably called up the mental asylum and was having her taken away to an institution or he was going to harvest her organs and sell them on the black market.

She had to admit that it was kind of nice being held so securely. Cartman was a lot warmer than she was even without his jacket. The smell of his cologne was more intense up here and she leaned up against him so she could breathe it in deeper.

Wendy felt weird when he finally put her down on her feet outside Token's house as if she'd suddenly been removed from a cosy lounge room and thrust out into the cold. The cab driver true to form still wasn't there yet. There was a quiver in her stomach and she was sure she was going to be sick.

"Your parents home ho?" Cartman asked still holding on to her to keep falling face first in the snow.

"Yeah" and Wendy's blood ran cold. Oh god, she was going to have to face her parents in this state. They'd never understand.

"Okay" Cartman nodded curtly keeping his eyes on the road for a taxi. The two of them were silent for a moment.

"Why are you helping me?" Wendy asked finally. She must still be a little drunk or otherwise she would never have been brave enough to ask.

"Coz I'm filming all this and making a damning personal documentary that will destroy any of chances of you being anything you want to be of you that's why" Cartman snapped. Wendy wished that it was true. It would make all this easier to deal with.

The cab finally pulled up and Wendy slowly got into the backseat hoping that the driver wouldn't go so fast. Up in the front Cartman told the driver Wendy's address and handed him some cash. He nodded solemnly at Wendy as the driver put the car into gear and drove off.

Wendy turned her head and watched Cartman slowly disappear as the car sped away. Her head was spinning with a million thoughts and emotions. Every single one of them too much to deal with right now. All she wanted was her bed.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

For the first three seconds after she woke up Wendy thought she was going to be okay. Then the full force of a mixed drinks hangover hit her promptly sending her back to her pillows. She drew the blankets high up over her head and groaned.

She never wanted to get out of bed ever again. Her whole body felt numb and weak, it felt like someone had rubbed hot sand under her eyelids and her head was about to split in two. The unsettling swishing of her stomach wasn't helping either.

She vaguely remembered stumbling home out of a cab and up the stairs of her house to her room late last night. Luckily her parents had gone to bed and her survival instincts must have kicked in to prevent her from making too much noise.

She couldn't even remember getting a cab and why she was in her own bed and not at Bebe's like she had planned. Rolling over in her bed she slowly tried to piece the bits of last night together and remember the events from the night before. She immediately wished that she hadn't.

Remembering Stan was enough to make her feel even sicker and she felt fresh tears come to her eyes. How could he? That bastard! And with some stupid random. Wendy had to admit she'd been cruel to Stan too, randomly breaking up with him to go out with other guys. But that was like when they were eight! They'd never said as much but everyone assumed that they'd be together forever.

She was going to be the gifted surgeon, saving lives and curing cancer. Stan would be the charitable athlete known as much for his humanitarian activism as his sports skills. He'd cite her as his inspiration for his work. There'd have three adorable, well rounded children and a house in the country. That sort of thing.

How was this happening to her? He could have at least waited to destroy her life until after exams were finished. Now her life was just fucked.

Wendy winced when her phone began to ring. Her ringtone sounded even more shrill than usual. She leant over the bedside table to pick it up.

Stan.

She promptly hung up. There was no way she was going to listen to his pathetic excuses.

She realized that her phone was chock full of missed class and messages. Stan must have called her every half hour since she left. She quickly checked through them, there were about ten missed calls from Bebe amongst others but she didn't care enough to look through them all now.

Wendy turned her phone off and threw it on the floor. She wished she could rid of the whole world as easily as that.

There was a knock at her door but it felt more like a knock on her head. Wendy winced.

"Wendy are you in there?" called her mother's voice. Great.

"Um yeah" Wendy rubbed her eyes. She rearranged her pillows so that she could sit up.

Her bedroom door was tentatively pushed open and a frowning Mrs. Testaberger appeared, letting in a flood of bright light that nearly blinded Wendy.

"Wendy! What happened to you? I've just had Bebe ring me asking where you were, I don't understand, I thought you were meant to stay there last night".

Wendy waited patiently for her mother to finish. Every word felt as if it were being screwed into her skull.

"I just wasn't feeling well mum, I thought I'd sleep better in my own bed you know".

Wendy's mother was not stupid but over the years Wendy had perfected the art of manipulating her. Poor Mrs. Testaberger would have never believed that her perfect straight A class president daughter would be capable of hiring mercenaries to send her teacher to her death.

"Okay honey, do you want me to call Bebe and tell her not to come over, she said she had to drop some stuff off for you but I can tell her that can wait".

"No" Wendy suddenly sat up straight. "It's okay, I left some books I really need for my exam with her".

"Are you sure?" Mrs. Testaberger asked hesitantly.

"Yes" Wendy said quickly. She desperately needed someone to talk too. She was sure that Bebe would have found out what happened with Stan somehow. That girl had a knack for finding out things just moments after they'd happened. That would definitely make it easier if she didn't have to explain everything and could just bitch about it instead.

Mrs. Testaberger eyed her daughter suspiciously.

"What?" Wendy asked when her mother continued to look at her.

"Oh, I'm just trying to figure out whose jacket that is. It looks far too big to belong to Stan", she said.

Wendy's heart stopped at the mention of her ex boyfriend's name.

"Umm, it's an op shop one I think" she blurted quickly hoping that the topic would soon change. She wasn't ready to talk to her mum about Stan just yet.

"Okay then, do you need anything some panadol, some water? " her mother asked.

Wendy shook her head. "It's okay Mum".

"Well you let me know" her mother closed the door and Wendy fell back against her pillows. There was no need to get up and dressed just because Bebe was coming over. The two girls had seen each other in far worse conditions on multiple occasions before. It might be best to get rid of the jacket though Wendy thought. She had a vague recollection of Cartman somehow helping her home last night. She had thought it was another one of her crazy dreams but then she had woken up in his jacket.

There was no way the mass of material could belong to anyone else. It was definitely Cartman's. That only made the night more confusing. Why would have Cartman helped her unless it was part of a farfetched evil scheme. Wendy was scared.

Crawling back under her covers she resigned herself to the fact that she was going to fail the exam tomorrow and her dreams of becoming a surgeon were thoroughly fucked.

How could a single night change so much?

It seemed like Wendy had only just shut her eyes when a bright eyed Bebe bounced on her bed shaking her awake.

"Be" Wendy groaned, hating the girl's super human ability to magically ward off hangovers.

"Oh my god Wendy wake up!" A huge grin was spreading across her face.

"What now?" Wendy sighed, she wasn't in the mood to deal with enthusiasm.

"Wendy!" Bebe shook her friend again unable to contain herself. "Kyle asked me out! We're going to the movies next Friday right after the English exam and then to some restaurant after!"

Wendy burst into tears and Bebe's face fell. It obviously wasn't the reaction she was expecting.

"Wendy what's wrong?" Bebe asked she had been friends with this girl since kindergarten but she had never seen her burst into tears like this.

"I saw Stan with some girl last night" That was all Wendy could say before dissolving into tears again. Just saying it out loud made it seem all the more real.

"Oh Wendy, oh my god, that asshole!" Bebe was so shocked that she could barely formulate a complete sentence.

"I'm sorry" Wendy sniffed trying to control herself the crying only made her headache worse. "I'm really happy for you, it's just-"

"Oh God Wendy don't' worry, seriously you should have come and got me straight away".

"It's okay" Wendy gulped. God she had let more people see her sob this week than she had for nearly her entire life.

"No it's not I feel like a complete bitch just leaving you on your own like that please tell me that you didn't walk home or accept a lift from Kenny".

"Um no" Wendy tried to stop herself from blushing. "Actually Cartman got a cab for me"

"Cartman!" Bebe's eyes popped reflecting the surprise Wendy was sure she would have felt had she been sober. "What and he paid for it and everything?"

"I can't really remember" Wendy muttered and it was partly true. She could however remember the addictive smell of Cartman's cologne and the way that she fit snuggly against his body. Her blush deepened.

Bebe was looking at her curiously. "Okay and you're sure he didn't drug you and rape you?"

"Bebe!" Wendy snapped. "He's not that bad".

"You're defending him?" Bebe's eyes grew even wider.

"He's not a sexual offender Bebe, he may be a lot of things but he isn't that".

Bebe rolled her eyes. "Okay whatever, are you going to be all right with Stan at the exam tomorrow and everything?"

Great. There was another knot in the stomach to add the collection.

"I'm going to have to be" Wendy said putting on a stern face.

"Oh sweetie", Bebe said enveloping her best friend in another hug. "What are you going to do?"

"I really don't know" Wendy told her friend realizing that that statement pretty much summed up her entire life.

Author Note: Hey everyone thanks for following this all the way through to Chapter Five. Hope you're enjoying it so far. Thanks to all that have reviewed so far. I really want to make this the best it can be so your thoughts are very much appreciated. Cheers!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Bebe ended up staying for another couple of hours before leaving Wendy to herself. Together the pair of them had got through some revision for Monday's maths exam but Wendy was still feeling uneasy about it. Her hangover had somewhat faded but there was still an uncomfortable buzz in her head.

With Bebe gone, it was harder to concentrate and Wendy had found her mind wandering. How was she meant to get that jacket home to Cartman? He wasn't taking the same branch of maths as she was and wouldn't be at the exam tomorrow. That would look a bit dodgy anyway, people would get suspicious and then there'd be all types of rumours to combat. That she didn't need to deal with right now.

She cast an eye down at her phone and picked it up wondering. Maybe she should call him. She really wanted to talk to him about last night and try to figure it all out. But that would be weird. They weren't exactly on good speaking terms. Besides it had been a long time since he'd given her his number. It had probably changed since then.

Wendy turned her phone on just as a rock lightly hit her window.

Annoyed that she had to get up and open her curtains just to see who it was, Wendy put her phone down. She had a fair idea who it was going to be but she knew it was best to face him now, where no one would be able to see her break down again.

Wendy opened the curtains and her felt her stomach drop. Seeing him again was more of a shock than she expected. He looked just like he always did. Just looking at him had always cheered Wendy up before but now she was seeing him in a different light.

She opened the window so that she could hear him better.

"Wendy, please let me come in and explain!" he called up.

"Don't you realize how clichéd that sounds?" she snapped.

"I know" Stan averted his eyes. "But please I know what I did was wrong and stupid and I'm not expecting you to take me back but please let me tell you what happened".

Those pretty blue eyes were pleading with her. Wendy sighed.

"Okay, come up, but not for long, I'm studying".

Stan nodded and Wendy closed the windows. She pulled on a dressing gown. She had long since changed out of Bebe's dress but she wanted to appear just a little intimidating in front of Stan. Her kitty cat pjs wouldn't do the trick.

Stan was at her door a moment later. His old beanie was in his hands as he sheepishly looked down at the floor.

"Can I come in?" he asked shyly as if fearing the answer.

Wendy nodded curtly. She was determined not to add Stan to the list of people she had blubbered in front of this week.

He smiled at her trying to be friendly. He looked as unthreatening as he ever did.

"I hope your hangover's not as bad as mine", he said trying to break the thick ice with a joke.

"Well it feels like my head is splitting in two" Wendy said bluntly. She didn't mention that her heart felt the same way.

"Mine too" Stan admitted. "I haven't been able to study all day. I'm totally screwed for this maths exam".

Wendy wished he'd hurry up the small talk and get to the point.

"Anyway, the point is, last night I drank a lot. I don't usually get hangovers but this morning- wow".

Wendy just nodded. She folded her arms. She wasn't going to go out of her way to make this any easier for him.

"Yeah".

"Well the point is I drank a lot" Stan repeated lamely. "I wasn't in control of myself".

Wendy rolled her eyes. She was seconds away from telling him to get out. Stan saw the look on her face.

"Please Wendy this isn't easy".

"Really? Because it's a fucking walk in the park for me!" Wendy snapped and Stan flinched.

"Okay" he said walking across her room sitting down at her desk, spinning the chair around to face her. Wendy sat back down on her bed wishing that she could pull the blankets around her again.

Stan took a deep breath. "I promised I wouldn't tell anyone so you're going to keep this to yourself".

This ought to be good Wendy thought. Unlike Cartman, Stan was not good at lying. He just couldn't keep himself from telling the truth. It was like some sort of compulsion. Even when a little white lie would save him and everyone else a lot of trouble he still couldn't do it. It made him incredibly easy to take advantage of.

"Someone said something to me and it kinda made me doubt myself, question myself you know".

God could he get anymore fucking cryptic? Wendy waited for him to go on but he didn't.

"What? That's it? That's your big secret?"

"Wendy this is fucking hard okay!"

"Oh yeah I totally understand! Someone said something to me so I needed to touch a pair of boobs. Couldn't wait for my girlfriend so I just hooked up with some random!" Wendy didn't care that her parents could probably hear every word she was saying downstairs. She was just so angry.

"No!" For the first time in a long time Stan seemed to get angry too. "Look I don't need to explain this to you all right? I'm just trying to be decent about it!"

"Yeah real fucking decent!" Wendy snapped. "So fucking decent!"

"Kyle kissed me all right!" Stan blurted out and Wendy fell into silence. Stan took a few deep breaths and looked away.

"What?" Wendy's voice was much quieter now.

Stan still couldn't look at her.

"In the car, he said he's developed feelings for me, that's he not gay but he likes me, and I got scared" Stan spoke softly. "I know it's stupid and I was drunk, I was thinking what if I'm gay too, there was this girl, it just sort of happened. I had to prove it to myself you know".

He finally looked up at her with his puppy dog eyes. Stan Marsh never cried. That would be against the jock code but he looked close to it now.

Wendy took a deep breath. Why did all the confusing shit have to take place on one weekend? When could they go back to dealing with normal stuff like crab people disguised as gay celebrities taking over the world or being taken hostage by a bunch of power hungry gingers?

"That's impossible" She said folding her arms "Bebe said Kyle just asked her out".

Stan snorted. "Come on Wendy, the kid's confused and he doesn't want to give Cartman another excuse to rip on him. Besides can you imagine what his mother would say?"

Wendy sighed. As much as she didn't want to consider it she wasn't really surprised. Her heart sank for Bebe.

"Look, I'm going to leave, you can make up your own mind about everything" Stan said putting his beanie back on. "I understand that you never want to see me again but I really love you Wendy, so fucking much".

Wendy's heart skipped a beat. Oh no. She was not going to fall for that one. She was not so stupid as to fall for that one. She felt a lump form in her throat.

"Stan wait" she reached out and grabbed his arm. He turned around surprised a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I do want to see you, I just need some time".

Stan nodded. "I understand".

He turned away from her but Wendy held onto him. She didn't understand what she was doing only that she needed to be comforted. Stan returned her hug fiercely. The pair of them had always fitted into each other's arms so well.

"Oh Stan, everything is just so fucked up at the moment". Wendy's tears had returned.

"You're telling me" Stan placed a light kiss on her forehead. He continued to hold her for sometime.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Wendy's hangover still hadn't left her by Monday morning. Sure it was nothing more than a slight headache and a bit of an upset stomach by now but it was enough to make her wish she didn't have to get up.

She reluctantly hauled herself out of bed to get ready. Fighting off the urge to put on her nicest clothes just to make a point to Stan she pulled on a pair of old jeans. She knew that it was stupid to have anything unnecessary distractions in an exam. She'd have enough of them sitting around her anyway.

She pulled on an old yellow jumper that was slowly turning grey and took a deep breath. You can do this, she told herself before tying her hair back in a high ponytail. Bebe was due to arrive soon. The Testabergers only lived a short distance from the Old Planetarium where the exams were being held.

Wendy wished now that she hadn't asked her best friend over. She knew that she couldn't tell her what Stan had said about Kyle. Not right before an exam but the information still felt like it was bubbling at the surface of her skin she was desperate to get it out.

Maybe Bebe wouldn't be as talkative today. Maybe she'd be more focused on the exam and less on Kyle. The dark haired girl thought as she walked downstairs to make herself some breakfast.

She stole a look at the kitchen clock. 7.45. She felt a nervous twitch in her stomach. All these years of school. All that study and hard work had all lead up to this.

Just as Wendy was digging into her cereal Bebe burst through the door. Of course her best friend was over so often that it would have weird for her to knock but Wendy wished that sometimes she would giver her just a little warning before sneaking up on her like that.

"Hi" Bebe said smiling. She had had obviously decided against dressing for comfort over fashion unlike Wendy. Underneath her thick coat was a short black and white checkered skirt and a tight pink jumper that clung to her curves.

"Bebe you're going to freeze" Wendy sighed.

"I don't care" Bebe said putting her bag down. "I'm not going to look fat and dumpy in front of Kyle".

"Good to know you've got your priorities right" Wendy was trying to be sarcastic but her heart was sinking. So much for Bebe being focused on the exam.

A big, goofy smile was forming across Bebe's face.

"Oh I so can't believe it Wendy!" she cried out. Her voice was far too loud for this time of morning. The last affected nerves of Wendy's hangover stung. "But I'm so nervous, I'm so not going to be able to concentrate on the exam".

Wendy pushed her bowl of cereal away. Her exam nerves were making her sick enough she didn't the disgustingly cutesy boy talk as well.

"Don't be nervous, just focus on the exam".

"I just told you that's gonna be impossible! I really hope we're not sitting alphabetically, I mean, but I kinda do at the same time".

Wendy got up. She knew that her best friend was about to dissolve into nonsensical sentences any moment now. Best to intervene whilst she still could.

"Um Bebe, have you ever considered that Kyle might be-" She started but as soon as Bebe's big hopeful eyes turned to face her she suddenly lost her nerve. "Uh Jewish?"

Bebe raised her eyebrows disbelievingly. "Jewish?" she asked.

"Yeah, I mean it would be really difficult if you wanted to get married or whatever" Wendy blurted cursing her cowardice.

"Are you serious? Wendy it's not like we're going to get married! Since when are you such an anti-Semite? Maybe it's you and Cartman that should get married!"

Wendy blushed furiously at the mention of the idea of marrying Cartman. She could just imagine how horrible that would be. She'd be waiting on him hand and foot a replacement for his subservient mother.

"What? Marry Cartman! Gross Bebe" Wendy blurted feeling herself getting redder.

"Well I saw the way he looked at you in my black dress" Bebe teased her eyes sparkling. "I don't think he finds you too gross".

"Shut up Bebe!" Wendy snapped hoping that the red in her cheeks would quickly disappear before her friend could notice. "He's disgusting".

"Hmmm, he's not actually that ugly" Bebe just didn't know when to stop especially when she was doing the things she was best at. Scoping for male potential being high on that list. "I mean sure he could stand to loose a bit of weight but he's kind of got that mysterious thing going on, like he has a dangerous past or something".

"God maybe I should tell Kyle to watch his ass" Wendy rolled her eyes annoyed. It wouldn't matter to her if Cartman was the most attractive guy on Earth he was still ugly inside.

"I think it's his voice" Bebe was on a roll. "It got pretty deep pretty quick, too bad such a seductive voice has to go to such an asshole".

"Do you want anything? Coffee? Want me to check your cheat sheet again?" Wendy was desperate to change the conversation. She could feel herself heating up even though it was still kind of cold inside. She didn't want to think of Cartman's voice the way he leered suggestively leered at her, always trying to best her, the way it made her hairs stand on end.

"Why do I need a cheat sheet if it's open book?" Bebe asked.

Wendy froze.

"What?" she demanded. All that work she had put into her cheat sheet and they didn't need to take it!

Bebe broke into fresh giggles and Wendy nudged her relived and annoyed at the same time.

"Please don't give me any more heart attacks. I'm sure I'll have more than my share when I see the exam".

"Would you relax brain you're going to be fine" Bebe said looking around the room. "So, um have you talked to Stan yet?"

Wendy paused for a moment. She knew that she had to be careful here. "Um yeah" she said getting up to put her dishes in the sink. "He came over after you left".

"Really? And he's still alive?" Wendy could tell that Bebe was dying to ask questions but didn't want to upset her friend. The blonde couldn't help herself from asking one however. "So what happens now?"

"I don't know" Wendy sighed. It wasn't a lie, she really didn't know what she wanted or even how she felt anymore.

"Try to be positive about it, you guys have been basically married for ten years, maybe it's time for a break. I got plenty of numbers from cute guys at the party on the weekend I could give you" Bebe suggested.

Wendy tried to smile. "No thanks Bebe".

"Well just take time in figuring out what you want" Bebe replied. "Don't go rushing back to Stan just because you think you have too, as much as I love you guys together" she added off handedly.

Wendy had had enough of this conversation. She was almost at the point where even talking about Kyle's real reasons for asking Bebe out would be more favourable.

"I know Bebe, just let me sort it out myself okay, I've got to focus on exams first".

Bebe dropped the subject and the two girls got ready to leave.

"Oh God there he is!" Bebe whispered excitedly to Wendy when they had reached the exam building. Wendy rolled her eyes.

"Just don't scare him too much" she said but her words had no effect. Bebe had already bounded off, her blonde ponytail flying and Wendy was left standing alone.

She looked over to Stan who was standing nearby. He had his hands tucked into his pockets and a worried look on his face. Wendy didn't know whether to go ahead and greet him or not. She would feel weird talking to him now trying to pretend that everything was fine when it clearly was so fucked up. She didn't know how she was supposed to feel about him or what was supposed to happen.

Bebe greeted Kyle with a hug. Wendy watched closely trying to pick up a sign, any sign that might back up Stan's story. She desperately wanted to believe him on one hand but on the other she didn't want Bebe to get hurt. The red head seemed to hold Bebe for longer than he needed to, their heads lingered close together for a moment. Wendy frowned just what the fuck was going on here?

Breathing in, she closed her eyes and tried to clam herself. She didn't have to worry about all this extra drama until after the exam.

"Wendy" someone had tugged at her sleeve lightly and Wendy turned around annoyed. For a moment she paused frightened that it was the last person she wanted to see. God would he have field day if he heard about all this.

Red, one of her friends was standing close behind her. The girl had dyed her hair ages ago and was now officially blonde, but her nickname had stuck.

"Oh hi Red" Wendy said relieved. "Are you ready for this?"

"I think so" Red said looking away and Wendy knew that she wasn't here to talk about exams. "I'm sorry about the weekend Wendy, I hope you guys can work it out".

"Right thanks" Wendy said bluntly desperate to get out of this conversation before it even started. "I'm gonna go see Bebe, good luck Red".

She started to walk over and she saw Stan's eyes flicker up from the ground and into her own. There was a sad look in his eyes and Wendy's hopes for avoiding him quickly disappeared. She cringed wishing that he hadn't made it so obvious. She had wanted to be discrete as possible now everyone around them seemed to be giggling and whispering.

"Hey are you okay?" Stan asked walking away from his friends and joining Wendy.

"Yeah, I guess" Wendy replied unable to meet him in the eye and hating herself for it. "How are you? You seem to be getting along with Kyle all right".

The two of them turned to look back. Bebe was talking quickly and animatedly as was her habit when she was nervous and Kyle would nod now and then but didn't seem to be contributing to the conversation much more than that.

"It's really weird actually" Stan said kicking the snow at his feet. "But I couldn't just ditch him. He is my best friend after all".

"Guess you've just got to make yourself as unattractive as possible from now on" Wendy tried to smile but her lips didn't move. She finally got up the nerve to look at him properly. Damnit why did he have to look so good?

"Um yeah listen-"

"Look" Wendy interrupted in fear of where the conversation was heading and nipping it in the bud. She suddenly didn't want to talk to Stan in fact she could barely stand looking at him. "Can we not talk about this just before the exam. I'll meet you outside afterwards okay".

Stan opened his mouth to protest but he closed it quickly when he saw the look on Wendy's face. "Okay deal".

"Good luck" this was the part where Wendy would have stepped towards him and given him a quick kiss. The moment seemed empty without it and both of them were painfully aware of it.

"Thanks Wendy, you too" Stan replied as Wendy turned away and walked into the exam.

Wendy walked out of the exam and found Stan waiting for her. She hadn't really needed all the extra time she'd taken but she wanted to put off this meeting for as long as possible. Seeing him made her emotions swirl into this confusing combination of anger and a desire to be comforted.

Stan's eyes lit up when he saw her it made her stomach jolt.

"You do okay?" he asked as she walked over. "Why am I even asking? You've probably got the best grade in the class".

Wendy smiled weakly at his attempt to flatter her and the pair of them walked off in the direction of her house.

She was surprised at just how easy the pair of them settled back into easy conversation. Wendy even found herself laughing. Maybe just maybe they could come out of this okay. It's not like they had never broken up before. Sure it was never over anything as serious as this but still.

When they neared Wendy's house their conversation became awkward and serious again.

"So…." Stan asked running a nervous hand through his hair. He looked as though he was about to revert back to his eight year old self who vomited every time Wendy spoke to him. "I know I've really fucked up but if you want to um, I really would like to try again".

Wendy sighed. Part of her really wanted to fall into his arms right there and then. The other half wanted to smack him down.

"Or you could never see me again and I could move somewhere far and far away" he said noticing her uneasiness.

"No" Wendy said slowly. "Of course I don't want you to go away".

"So what then?"

"I don't know" Wendy shrugged. This was something that she couldn't look up in a textbook. "But I think maybe we should leave it just until exams are over so we can concentrate".

Stan nodded his eyes still sad. "Yeah that makes sense".

The dark haired boy began to turn away but Wendy stopped him.

"We'll figure it out Stan, we always do" She tried to smile but suddenly she felt as though she was going to cry again. She didn't want him to leave she wanted to hold onto him like she always did and she could pretend that he wasn't some asshole capable of doing this to her.

"Yeah so I'll see you" he said hopefully and Wendy nodded. Stan leant in to kiss her but then realized at the last moment that it wasn't appropriate and waved awkwardly instead.

"Things will be okay Stan" Wendy lied turning away before the urge to hit him overpowered her.

A/N Thanks to everyone reading I hope you're enjoying this so far. I know this chapter was a bit of a filler but I promise that Cartman will be making a dramatic reappearance soon. Thanks for all your awesome reviews I really can't say how happy they make me :)


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The first week of exams was over and Wendy sat at her desk waiting for her phone to ring. It was Saturday morning and she was expecting a detailed call from Bebe all about last night's date. She had prepared herself for a full scale disaster. There was no way that this was going to end well. Either, Kyle would tell Bebe that he wasn't interested in her and Wendy would have to swap her exam study schedule for late night sessions of sappy movies, tissues and icecream in support. Or, worse Stan had lied about the whole thing. Wendy didn't want to think about what that meant.

She had a biology textbook open and was idly taking notes. Not that she needed to study too hard. Her next exam wasn't until Thursday.

Winter had well and truly arrived, South Park was never the most sunny place but now it was like living in the South Pole. Wendy shivered as she watched fresh snow fall outside her window. It was so cold that she could see her breath against the cold air of her room. Of course it was a perfect time for her heater to break down. Cheap piece of shit.

Looking around for her coat her eyes fell on Cartman's jacket that she had hung up on the back of her door against her own clothes.

She bit her lip. She really had been meaning to give it back to him. But she had kept making excuses. She didn't want to advertise the fact that he had helped her out by giving it to one of his mates. She was sure that the fact wouldn't sit too well with Stan either especially since they were on such shaky ground. She couldn't bring herself to go round to his house since it was further out than hers and she would look stupid if she said that she had simply 'dropped by'. Maybe she should post it? No that was a waste of money and resources.

Ugh. Why was she thinking so much about this? She put more effort thinking of how she should get Cartman his jacket back than studying for her next round of exams.

He should have called her asking for it by now. Usually Cartman was extremely possessive about anything he owned and even a few things that he didn't. She'd half expected him to show up on her doorstep and demand compensation or something.

Getting out of her chair she walked across to her door, staring at the jacket. She should just run over there and put it in the mailbox or something. If it would fit. He couldn't exactly miss it. Reaching out she stroked the sleeve. It really was a nice jacket, real leather, she guessed that Cartman must have thought it made him look like a rebel. She took it off the hook and examined it closer. It still smelt strongly of him- not him! The cologne! It was just nice cologne that was all. Wendy shook her head fiercely as if trying to literally remove the idea from her head. As if Cartman could ever smell attractive that guy had been wearing the same jacket for years!

The thought didn't stop her from bringing the jacket closer to her and breathing in this jacket's smell. The richness spun around her head making her sigh. It just smelt so, so good.

Well, since she was cold and all she might as well put it on. It did look really warm after all. It must have saved her from catching cold on Saturday night. She put it down on her bed eyeing it warily. After all it was Cartman's. What if it had some sort of powder that would make her itch or something?

Damnit Testaberger! It's just a jacket. Stop being so dramatic.

Yet she couldn't get rid of the idea that the jacket had some sort of special power. Why else would she be shaking so much all of a sudden? She lifted it up and pulled it on and memories of Saturday night came flooding back to her.

"You crying ho?" Cartman's voice was drifting through her head. Something about him had been so different that night. Wendy remembered that time when an Indian burial ground had somehow opened a vortex into a parallel universe full of everyone's opposites. The boys had met Cartman's opposite who turned out to be a normal boy in contrast with the evil fuck up that occupied their world.

Maybe that vortex had somehow opened up again. She should warn someone.

Still, the jacket felt unusually nice over her body. No, nice was too tame of word. Wendy could feel pleasant tingles spread all over her skin. Having it on her was almost as if he was touching her somehow.

"Oh my god! Snap out of it!" Wendy covered her mouth when she realized that she had said the last part out loud.

Maybe Cartman hadn't even noticed that the jacket had gone. His mother always spoiled him. He'd probably just got a new one. Maybe she could keep it. She certainly didn't have any jackets as warm as this.

Lying back on her bed, she pulled it around her. She remembered him helping her to her feet. It was behaviour that she had expected from someone like Stan not Cartman. Besides Stan was her boyfriend. He was meant to treat her like that. Cartman was just an ass who took pleasure in her making her uncomfortable.

But ass or not he'd been really gentle with her. It was a nice memory to have even if it was probably distorted with alcohol.

She allowed herself to drift off a little. The smell and even the feel of the jacket was so comforting. She deserved a little bit of a rest from this study anyway. She ran her fingers along the sleeves closing her eyes enjoying it a little too much.

"Wendy?"

Wendy sat bolt upright.

"God Bebe! Would it kill you to knock?"

"Gee sorry, I didn't know that you and the jacket were having some alone time" Bebe remarked wriggling her eyebrows.

"Shut up!" Wendy could feel the blush hot in her cheeks. She pulled the jacket off and threw it on the floor as it meant nothing. It was a mistake. When it was laid out on the ground it was far more recognizable.

Bebe's mouth fell open.

"What?" Wendy demanded, trying to scare her friend from asking a question.

"Please tell me that's not Cartman's jacket"

"No" Wendy said a little too quickly. "It's one of dad's old ones".

Bebe eyed it suspiciously and Wendy knew that the blonde had seen right through her lie. "Looks pretty new to me".

"It's nothing" Wendy snapped kicking it out of view.

"Well you're the one basically making out with it" Bebe joked and Wendy's cheeks got redder. "So new man huh?"

Wendy sighed. She had no answers for this sort of interrogation, she barely understood what was going on herself. There was only one way she could stop the onslaught. Change the topic to Kyle. She didn't want too do so but here it was her only choice.

"Yeah, whatever so tell me how'd last night's big date go?"

The expression on Bebe's face changed instantly. She flashed Wendy a dazzling smile and Wendy wished that she could share her friend's happiness. She smiled back but inside she was trying hard not to scream. She could kill Kyle. Seriously, raising Bebe's hopes like that. The girl was only going to end up heart broken. That was the only explanation right?

Wendy badly wanted to tell her what Stan had said but she couldn't bring herself to, besides she had promised that she would keep Kyle's secret and what if it hadn't been true after all?

"Oh Wendy it was so wonderful! I had such an amazing time" she twirled her blonde ponytail around her finger a dreamy look on her face.

Wendy knew that she was being a bad friend but as Bebe talked on and on she could barely concentrate. She was too busy trying to figure out what the hell was going on. It wasn't particularly interesting stuff to listen to either, just what movie they had seen and what they ate, what he wore. Wendy's somehow attention was still on the jacket. She could almost feel it's presence with them there in the room. She must be going insane.

"Anyway" Wendy forced herself to pay attention, after all there was probably going to be a quiz later. "We didn't' make any more plans or anything coz of exams, but he definitely said he'd like to do it again soon. Isn't that great?"

"Yeah wonderful". Wendy could feel her heart sinking.

Bebe's eyes narrowed. "Are you okay Weds? I don't want to talk about this stuff it upsets you".

"No it's okay".

The blonde arched an eyebrow in disbelief. "Yeah that might work on Kendall or even your mother but you're going to have try harder to lie to me love".

Wendy was put on the spot. "It's just I don't know what's happening with Stan. I'm glad you're happy really but I guess I'm not over it yet".

Bebe reached out and gave her best friend's hand a squeeze. "So what do you want to happen?"

"I don't know" Wendy sighed. "I don't know what I want".

The blonde girl settled back on the bed. Wendy could tell that she was disappointed that she wasn't going to be able to discuss her date with Kyle at great length but Wendy didn't have the strength to apologize.

There was silence between the two best friends for a moment as they both looked around for something lighter to talk about and then realized that it was pointless. Bebe reached out for the jacket that Wendy had tossed away.

"What are you doing?" Wendy asked trying to keep the alarm from her voice.

"I'm just looking that's all" Bebe said her hand on the leather. Wendy lunged forward to pull her friend back but Bebe had already lifted the jacket up.

"Bebe! Give it back!" Wendy said desperately trying to pull her friend away. Any maturity that she had developed in the last eighteen years disappeared in an instant.

"Na uh" Bebe giggled using her superior height to hold the jacket above Wendy's head. The blonde thought that her friend probably needed a bit of fun just something light hearted to take her mind of things. Boy was she wrong.

"Bebe! I'm serious give it back!" Wendy wasn't that much shorter than Bebe but the difference was enough to make her need to jump.

Bebe's giggles disappeared as Wendy painfully grabbed onto her. The dark haired girl was in a panic. Bebe couldn't know about the jacket.

"God Wendy what the fuck?"

"Bebe just give it back seriously".

Bebe held out her hands the jacket falling to the floor her face frozen in horrified surprise.

Wendy stepped back still breathing hard.

"Bebe, I'm sorry, I just-" Wendy realized that she didn't have the words to explain.

"I know that you're going through a bad time right now but you seriously need to chill the fuck out" Bebe said showing no signs of accepting Wendy's apology. Instead she gathered her stuff up and opened up the door.

"Bebe wait please-" Wendy began but the door was shut loudly in her face. She let out a small groan of exasperation. She had to get rid of that fucking jacket and fast.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

It was seven thirty before Wendy finally resolved to drop the jacket off at Cartman's house. She had been putting it off all day. She had attempted to do some study but couldn't really focus. She had called Bebe a few times but the blonde hadn't answered and Wendy supposed she'd just let her get over it in her own time.

She couldn't figure out why she was so nervous about this. Sure Cartman could have a trap set or something but realistically it shouldn't be anything that she couldn't handle. Still her hands were shaking as she reached for her own coat that had been resting next to his these past couple of days.

She snuck downstairs like a fugitive hoping that no one would see her. Walking through the hall she pushed the front door open.

"Wendy! Where are you going?"

Damnit.

"I'm um just going to drop a few things round at Stan's mum". Wendy didn't have the heart to tell her parents what had happened with Stan and her. Sure she'd have to dodge some of her mother's more detailed questions on Stan's whereabouts and when they were seeing him for dinner again but that was better than the big heart to heart she'd get if she told her mother Stan cheated on her.

"Really? It's a bit late for that isn't it?"

Oh great it was time for the sex and responsibility talk again.

"No mum, I'm not going to be that long" Wendy said desperately trying to slip out of the door and far away from the awkward conversation that was about to follow.

Ms. Testaberger didn't look convinced. She put down the jar that she had been trying to open and put her hands on her daughter's shoulder. "Remember Wendy your body is a temple!" she bore into her daughter's eyes.

Wendy shook her off. "Geez mum I'm just going to return some stuff that's all, you can time me!"

Ms. Testaberger watched sadly as the door was shut in her face. Wendy clenched her fists to suppress a scream. Taking a deep breath and counting til ten she set off with her heart still racing. Cartman's house was about fifteen minutes away if she walked quickly. Then she had to remind herself that she wasn't in a hurry. It wasn't like she desperately needed to get to Cartman's or anything. She could take her time but somehow she found herself hurrying.

The cold air slapped at her face as she sped along. Her hands sweaty and clammy underneath her gloves. Despite the rapidly dropping temperature and the falling snow all Wendy could focus on was the jacket tucked under her arm. She was sad to give it back. Maybe, if she could just find out what cologne he used she could get it and give it to Stan. No that would be twisted.

Wendy was now walking so fast she was practically sprinting. Why was she so eager to get to Cartman's house anyway? She couldn't actually want to see him? No, of course not.

_You know you want me bitch. _ The words just kept spinning around and around in her head til they began to make her feel dizzy.

Trying to calm herself down Wendy hoped that her face wasn't red. She wanted to look as calm and nonchalant about this as possible. She could now see Cartman's house it was only a block away. The lights were on in the window facing her. She squinted and saw dark figures against the glow moving around the room. She smiled. At the very least this meant that someone was home and hopefully she would forget about Cartman um that is forget about his jacket.

Slowing her pace to a walk as she approached the house she could begin to hear the voices inside. She could hear two male voices. One she could immediately identify as Cartman's the other she didn't know but recognized as an older man's. She shivered a little when she realized that she was about to come face to face with Cartman. That is, if he could be bothered getting off his fat ass to come to answer the door.

Wendy walked up the doorstep when she suddenly realized that the voices in the kitchen were having a less than friendly conversation. She immediately froze unsure of what to do.

"You get away from my mother dickwad!" that was definitely Cartman sounded more enraged than usual.

"You shut up fat fuck! You're so fucking pathetic! Fucking useless! You'll never be anything!" the male voice responded. Wendy reached for her phone tossing up whether she should call the police or not.

"Stop it! Just stop it! Jim leave him alone!" cried a voice. That was Ms. Cartman sobbing. Wendy backed away from the door fear flooding through her. She wanted to get as far away from the house as possible but somehow perversely she wanted to stay and find out what was happening.

There was a loud crash from inside and Wendy shuddered. Gathering her senses she took a step away from the front door. She could hear more shouting and muffled swearing and her instincts took over. She had to get away from here as quickly as possible. Just as she was leaving the door flew open with a bang. Wendy cringed as a large mass hurtled towards her landing on her and knocking her to her feet with a slam.

"And fucking don't come back!" The door was slammed afterwards.

Cartman was quick to get to his feet. Wendy was sad to feel his warmth leave her. She was even distracted by the pain when she realized that she was surrounded in that intoxicating smell so rich it was like she was drowning in it. But then Wendy noticed that his nose was bleeding and one of his eyes had a dark bruise developing. Cartman stared at her in disbelief. Wendy wished that she could say that she didn't cower but she did. She was fully aware once again of the massive strength he had over her. He could pin her down and crush her easily.

"What the fuck are you doing here bitch?" he was trying to come off as tough but Wendy saw through that.

"Cartman" She said gingerly getting up. She had hit the snow covered pavement hard and it hurt but she wasn't focused on that at the moment. In fact she was most consumed by the most confusing emotion- concern for Eric Cartman. No, not just concern her heart was fucking breaking for him. "Cartman what is going on?"

"That's none of your business whore" he snarled and Wendy flinched. It was hard not to feel hurt after she had reached out to him like that but she tried again.

"Cartman" she whispered stepping closer to him and reaching out to touch his cheek. She felt sadness burning in her heart. Was this normal for him? He didn't seem surprised. She could feel his warmth through her glove her heart racing so fast it felt like it was going to explode.

For a moment he let her hand rest there closing his eyes as if enjoying the touch before shaking it off and pushing Wendy away so harshly that she almost fell to the ground again.

"I said this is non of your fucking business slut bucket!" His voice was shaking.

"Cartman, please talk to me, I'll listen, I'll help" Wendy implored desperate to help him somehow taking a dangerous step towards him. For a moment the two of them stood still both breathing fast only inches between them.

Cartman grabbed at Wendy's sleeves pulling her towards him. Wendy was sure that he was going to cry but no at the last moment he just pushed her away again.

"Don't you get it? Leave me alone! I don't want to fucking talk to you! I wouldn't give a rat's ass if you were to drop dead tomorrow in fact I'd probably fucking laugh! Piss off!" Cartman snarled and Wendy felt tears come to her eyes. Why had she come here and so fucking eagerly too? She knew he was an asshole, knew that he didn't care. Still the disappointment was bitter as it filled her lungs making it difficult to breathe.

Determined not to let her tears fall she moved forward and struck him across his already bruised face before storming away. Cartman reeled back more from shock than actual pain. "You think you can fucking get away with that shit?" he called but did not pursue her.

Wendy just made it out of his earshot before the tears fell. How could she be such a fucking retard? Why had she thought that he'd suddenly became a decent human being? She must have drunk much more at Token's party than she realized.

She ran away even faster than she came trying to tell herself that it didn't matter. It wasn't like she wanted to hang around him or anything. In fact in at the end of the year she'd move away from home to go to college and she'd probably never see him again. Good she told herself trying to smile.

Wendy would never have to think about him again. In fact if it weren't for damned detention she wouldn't have to speak to him ever again.

As she got further away she slowed her pace down to a walk. The sky was turning into night around her and a strong wind had picked up but she didn't care. She wondered to herself why she was so disappointed about the whole exchange. She should have known by now that being a decent human being wasn't in Cartman's repertoire and she was stupid for thinking otherwise. She had been spoiled by Stan. She had to realize that not all boys were nice, caring human beings like Stan was. It was time to recognize that and see Cartman for the arsehole that he really was.

Arriving home Wendy snuck inside hoping not to run into her mother. She didn't feel like question time right now. Sneaking upstairs she closed her bedroom door behind her and flung herself onto her bed. It was only then that she realized that the leather jacket was still tucked snuggly under her arm.

Fuck!


	10. Chapter 10

A/N - Hey everyone still reading this. Thanks for sticking with the story. Special thanks to Angelic Guardian, allygirl56 and sableye for all your awesome reviews. You guys really encourage me to keep going with this. Hope you all enjoy this chapter :)

Chapter Ten

"Okay so I'm sorry I haven't been returning calls. I was being a bitch" Bebe sighed into the phone. A small smile crept across Wendy's face. Both girls were notoriously stubborn. Even the simple fights could blow out into extended periods of cold war between them so Wendy was glad this one was over with. "So how was biology?"

"Yeah pretty okay" Wendy replied. "Now just to focus on English".

Bebe groaned. "Oh don't remind me seriously. I never thought I could get sick of a movie with Leo in it but there you go".

Wendy rolled her eyes. "Bebe you know that we are studying the play Romeo and Juliet, not the film adaption".

"I know, I know, I just need something to get me through the ye old English torture" Bebe said. "Anyway, so Heidi's having a sleepover tomorrow and you better be coming".

Wendy sighed. Great. Just what she needed. To deliver a press conference about her and Stan's relationship issues. In front of those girls it would have to be as tight and clean as one from a politician introducing a new tax. Plus she never really liked Heidi. That girl had it bad for Stan since the beginning. She would be like a vulture busily circling Wendy's every move.

"Wendy?" Bebe asked after a long pause. "Please come, it's not like it's just going to be just Heidi, Red, Rebecca, Esther, Millie and Tammy are all coming".

Wendy desperately looked around for an excuse but found none. It was not like she could say that she had an exam to study for since Bebe knew that English wasn't until Tuesday. She couldn't really throw the invite back in Bebe's face and risk prolonging the fight either.

"Yeah um okay". Wendy shot a look at Cartman's jacket that had found it's way back to the hook on her bedroom door. She could really use someone to talk to too. Not that Heidi's place would provide a proper avenue but it was something.

"Yay!" Wendy could see Bebe grinning with excitement at the idea. "It will be good to see you. I've missed you".

Wendy was glad they were only talking on the phone so she didn't have to put on a fake smile in return. "I've missed you too". She found herself staring back at the jacket. Should she tell Bebe about what had happened with Cartman? She had an unsettling feeling that she should just keep this to herself but she had to admit after everything she still didn't want to see him get hurt.

"Okay, well then I'll come over and I we can drive you or something".

"Yeah" Wendy nodded. "That would be nice".

"Okay bye".

"See ya".

Damnit.

Friday evening arrived quicker than Wendy would have liked. She had reluctantly set aside her study and got ready. Impressing girls took more effort than impressing boys. For guys all you had to do was pick a particular neckline or a certain skirt length and they would think that you looked fantastic but girls were something different. It had to be subtle. Guys wouldn't notice things like colour clashes for example. In contrast to commit such a sin in front of Heidi and her ilk was enough to make your school life miserable for the next couple of months.

"Wendy! Bebe's here!" called her mother from downstairs and Wendy finally settled on a favourite black top just managing to pull it over her head before Bebe got to her room.

"Weds!" The blonde girl greeted her with a hug. "God it's been forever".

"Yeah" Wendy replied. She looked over Bebe's outfit and cursed her luck for having such a gorgeous best friend. The blonde was wearing a cream top that was cut low over one shoulder and her favourite black skirt. To keep it from being too tame she was wearing her new knee length leather boots. It was an outfit that was almost immune to Heidi's criticism. "I really missed you".

Bebe helped Wendy with her stuff and the pair of them walked down to the blonde girl's car. Wendy opened the door door and gasped. "God Bebe just how drunk are you planning to get?"

The front seat was stacked with several slabs of beer and a couple of six pacs of cruisers. On the floor a various assortment of spirits lay, some looked brand new while others had been opened.

"Well this is Heidi we're talking about" Bebe grinned dodging the question. The tall girl bent down to rearrange the bottles this was a dangerous activity in her short skirt.

'It's fine, I'll sit in the back" Wendy said stopping her as she slid into the backseat behind Bebe.

"This is weird I feel like a cab driver" Bebe said starting the engine. Wendy closed her eyes and tried to remember some of those lines that celebrities used when they publically announced a divorce and wanted to appear as respectful as possible despite any Nazi Hookers and illicit substances that may have been involved.

"So how are things going with Stan?" Bebe asked after a rare moment of silence between the two friends.

"They aren't going. I haven't spoken to him for a couple of days. Just messages and stuff I want my space you know" Wendy said. In truth she hadn't really been thinking about Stan there had been other matters occupying her mind.

"Hmmm I wish Kyle didn't give me so much space but he's so busy with his exams. Why'd he pick all the hard subjects anyway?" Bebe sighed and Wendy felt herself stiffen. There was awkward silence for the rest of the thankfully short trip.

It wasn't Heidi but Red who greeted them at the door. Bebe had artfully packed the alcohol into several bags so that Heidi's parents wouldn't see it. No one would question Bebe having so much stuff.

"Oh hey guys nearly everyone else is here already come on downstairs" Red smiled taking some of Bebe's bags for her.

Wendy felt a rush of nostalgia sweep through her as she walked downstairs and into the basement where the girls had had their slumber parties ever since they were five. For some reason Mr and Mrs Turner were far more tolerant of having multiple screaming girls stay over than most of the South Park parents. They were good at keeping out of the way too.

"Hey Heidi!" Red called out. "Bebe and Wendy are here!"

The girls got up to greet the two new arrivals, hugging Bebe more enthusiastically than Wendy. Wendy surveyed everyone and what they were wearing. It was an inevitability that some of the girls in such a small town grew up to be skanks. In a town like South Park there really wasn't much to do other than hook up. Tammy definitely took out the position of top Skank with Rebecca following close behind. Not that she didn't like the two girls but as they grew up their lives were becoming more and more different.

"I brought the booze!" Bebe said grinning and the girls gushed approvingly before helping her cram it into a bar fridge.

"Wow Wendy" Heidi said. She had certainly grown up from the shy mousey haired girl that Wendy first knew. Now she was a curvaceous brunette with a snarky attitude. "I just can't believe it. I mean how awful that Stan would just loose interest in you like that. I hope it's not affecting your exams".

Wendy narrowed her eyes as the brunette smugly folded her arms. She was barely refraining from pulling out those new hair extensions that Heidi had done for Token's party.

The other girls looked up from the fridge wondering how Wendy was going to respond. Wendy had to admit she was a little shocked. She'd expected Heidi to jump down her throat at some point in the evening but she didn't expect to be attacked the moment she walked in the door.

"Oh I just envy you, you must be able to concentrate so well since no one here is interested in dating you" Wendy retorted. Behind them Rebecca gasped.

Anger flickered in Heidi's eyes but a horrible smile spread over her face.

"And in front of everyone like that" she continued like Wendy hadn't said anything. "It makes you think that he never cared for you at all. I'm so sorry. I'm sure we can have a big long chat about it tonight. We'll figure out exactly what you did wrong so it won't happen to you again".

Wendy was glad that she still had those killers for hire on speed dial.

Thankfully Tammy sensed the tension in the air and put on one of the movies they had hired whilst the other girls began rearranging blankets and pillows for everyone. The outfits that had been so meticulously planned were quickly swapped for comfy jammies and slippers.

It wasn't long before the questioning began. The girls had grown up since their 'truth or dare' playing days but the essence of questioning was basically the same. The aim was still to dig up as much dirt as possible and for Wendy to blackmail them with it later. Although there wasn't much these girls didn't know about each other there was always potential for embarrassment.

"Okay my turn" Heidi said eyes glittering. Bebe quickly got up to pour another round of mixed spirits. The girls had truly gotten stuck into them. Some of them were even getting a little drunk. Wendy knew that she should haven't been drinking and it was only going to fuck her study routine over but as the girls began to relax she found it hard not to join in.

"Bebe how far have you gotten with Kyle?"

Wendy tried not to look too startled. She knew it was her duty as Bebe's best friend to find that shit out but she had been avoiding it in fear that the information may ruin either her or her best friend's life.

To her surprise Bebe smiled coyly. "I'm sure you'd love to know Heidi".

Wendy found herself staring. No. Surely Bebe was just trying to keep things private from Heidi to avoid the pain of cross examination later. She and Kyle couldn't have actually…

"Go on else we'll make you do a dare!" Tammy said piping up all of a sudden interrupting Wendy's thoughts.

Bebe smiled she naturally ended up the centre of attention and had begun to enjoy it to the point where she had acquired a sense of showmanship. "Well I tell you what Tam, he is much better than Kenny".

The girls gasped. Wendy could feel her heart pounding. No, even if they were fighting Bebe would've told her something like that. Besides Kyle wasn't that way inclined. Was he?

"You fucked him?" Red particularly shrieked.

"Kissed him" Bebe said poking out her tongue and Wendy felt herself fall on the mattress with relief. Bebe eyed her with confusion but the rest of the girls were too busy discussing Bebe's latest conquest if that was in fact what Kyle was.

"Wait a minute? You kissed Kenny!"

"You bastard!" Tammy spat. "When did that happen?"

"A couple of years back" Bebe shrugged it off. She was happily getting tipsy. "And it wasn't exactly a kiss. It was more like being attacked by an octopus with one tentacle that had an oral fixation".

"Ewww".

"Just how many guys have you kissed?" Heidi asked as Red got up to grab some more booze.

Wendy slowly tuned out. She had heard all of this stuff before. She felt anger and confusion bubbling up inside of her. She had to talk to Stan and soon. She had to sort all this shit out.

"Miss. Testaberger are you listening?" Heidi said shaking the dark haired girl. She was in a better mood now Wendy wondered how long it would last. "Don't tell me you're already drunk!"

"No I'm not drunk" Wendy said surprised to find all eyes were staring at her. "Just tired, study you know".

"Well now that you're with us when did you first have sex with Stan?" Heidi blurted suddenly and Wendy blushed. She was pretty sure the brunette knew that she was still a virgin and was just trying to humiliate her.

"That really isn't of your business". Damn these cocktails. That answer was basically asking for more abuse.

"Well then, we'll have to make you do a dare instead old school you know" Heidi really was enjoying herself.

"Fine" Wendy snapped stupidly. She thought that she would be right after all she had been subjected to many a humiliating dare before usually by the boys. Like the time she had to make out with Bebe to see if lesbianism would gross Mr. Garrison out. Surely Heidi's mind didn't work in the same sick way that Kenny's did.

"Okay lets see" Heidi said pausing to come up with the most humiliating scenario possible. "You have to….."

"Call Cartman!" Rebecca blurted and Wendy shot her a death glare. Or that is she would have if she wasn't suddenly frozen to the spot.

"Yes!"

"And tell him that you've had a crush on him for like ever and you'd like to go out sometime!"

Everyone else dissolved into drunken giggles sprawling over their mattresses whilst Wendy was sure that her heart had just exploded.

"No" she said simply.

"No" Heidi seemed to be picking up on the other girl's discomfort. Bebe too was looking at her with wide eyes Wendy tried to ignore her. "Well then Wendy then you can answer the question".

But she couldn't. Admitting that she and Stan had never had sex would just give Heidi and the other girls more license to mock her. Besides Cartman was a dick but he wasn't an idiot he'd most likely hang up on her as soon as he realized it was Wendy calling. It wasn't like he had a reason to believe that she was serious. He knew Wendy hated him and more to the point he hated her.

"Give me the phone" Wendy said wishing that her knees would stop shaking.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Heidi handed Wendy her new iphone with a sick grin. Wendy's heart was racing. She hoped that Cartman wouldn't take this seriously. Besides it was Friday night most likely he would be down at the bar with the other guys anyway. She hoped so.

"Here you go Wendy" Heidi said the same evil smile yet to leave her face. Wendy snatched up the phone trying to look as though she didn't care whilst inside she was sure she was going to be sick. The other girls were giggling except for Bebe who was watching as if worried for her. Oh god, please don't let Bebe know what's going on. Wendy bit her lip.

"I don't have his number" she realized all of a sudden and it didn't appear to be Heidi's phone. Maybe just maybe she could wiggle her way out of this.

"I do!" Rebecca piped up and again Wendy felt like shooting her. The brunette didn't seem to notice though and cheerfully recited the number to Wendy who put it in the phone.

There was a burst of giggling as Wendy put the phone to her ear. She tried to take a deep breath but instead nearly choked.

"Put it on loudspeaker!" Tammy giggled. Wendy cursed her luck she had nearly gotten away with it too.

"Do it Testaberger" Heidi snarled.

Pressing the call button Wendy held her breath. Every time the phone rang the tension within her continued to build until she wasn't sure if she could take it anymore. Four rings, five rings, six rings. Just go to voicemail already.

On the seventeenth ring Wendy was ready to hang up waves off relief washing over her when

"What the hell do you want?"

Goddamnit.

The girls around Wendy giggled and Heidi shushed them with a finger her to her lips. The sadistic grin on her face seemed to be spreading.

Wendy had in one moment lost the ability to speak, the ability to move in fact. The girls stared at her amazed as she wordlessly mouthed her lips.

"I said what the hell do you want goddamnit!"

Wendy cleared her throat. "Cartman" she began her voice barely above a raspy whisper. "How are you?"

"Well I was just fucking peachy until you interrupted my grand plans now I have to start all over".

Shit. He was in one of his worse moods. Well at least that meant he would cut the phone call short and he wouldn't take anything she had to say seriously. Not that he would anyway. And since when did she care what he thought of her?

"Sorry, I'm just wondering if-"

"Who the fuck is this?"

Wendy could have died of embarrassment. He couldn't even recognize her. The girls around her fell about into giggles so loud that he would have heard them even if he weren't on loudspeaker.

"What the hell is going on?"

"It's Wendy Cartman" the dark haired girl croaked. She could feel tears welling up in her throat again and she didn't know why probably because she drank more alcohol than she first thought.

"Wendy?" the boy asked incredulously. Wendy didn't want to get her hopes up but she could have sworn that somehow his voice had become kinder when he realized that it was her. As if he was surprised in a pleasant way. She felt a pleasant flush rise through her warming her up. "Why are you calling me hippie bitch?"

Well so much for that idea.

"I um" Wendy tried to gather up her nerves. She hadn't expected the phone call to continue for this long. He should have hung up by now. How could she even begin to say this? He would hold it against her and mock her with it for the rest of her life. Wendy was acutely aware of both the giggling girls looking on eagerly and her awkward meeting with Cartman yesterday. How could she reconcile both those facts? "I was just wondering if-"

"You have some kind of business proposal for me hippie?" Cartman drawled casually. Wendy was confused. She had expected him still to be angry with her but it seemed like he had gone back to his usual overtly confident self completely unfazed by yesterday's events.

"Um not exactly" God how could he be so smooth whilst she was sweating like a nervous first grader. "I-"

"Go on Wendy" Red said giving her a little nudge. Heidi smirked and Wendy felt her heart creep up into her throat. If that bitch got any wrong ideas her life was over. Bebe too had her eyebrows furrowed in concern for her friend.

"How are you?" Wendy blurted and mentally kicked herself. Smooth Testaberger. God she was a fucking screw up. Why couldn't she just talk to him? She'd ask him out, he'd laugh and reject her and she'd make sure he knew it was one big joke next time she saw him. Easy.

Or not.

"Look Testaberger what happened yesterday is really none of your business" Cartman snapped loosing his cool momentarily.

A wave of confusion swept through the surrounding girls. They turned to each other wide eyed as if asking for answers that none of them had. Wendy panicked. How to explain that she had simply bumped into Cartman. If she told them about the jacket Bebe would ask unsettling questions that Wendy just didn't want to answer let alone think about.

"I'm um not calling about that-" Damnit! When was she this inarticulate? The way she was acting would make all the girls think she was so nervous because she actually liked Cartman. But no, they weren't that stupid. They could clearly see that he was a racist, misogynist, homophobic, idiotic, narrasistic and downright ugly dickhead. Couldn't they?

"I was just wondering, if um maybe sometime you would ugh-" Goddamnit! What the fuck was this? Wendy freaked out when she realized that she was actually sweating. What was more unnerving was that Cartman was simply waiting patiently on the other end of the phone in silence.

"She wants to ask you out!" a giggling Tammy had snatched the phone right from under Wendy's nose. Wendy was sure now that her heart really had exploded.

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

Desperately, before Cartman could mock her Wendy snatched the phone back somehow regaining her ability to speak again.

"Don't think yourself so fucking special that I care about what's happening to you. I couldn't give a shit. You deserve all the crap that comes your way arsehole". Wendy snarled into the phone hoping that he couldn't hear the shaking in her voice. Please. She implored him as if somehow he could pick up her thoughts through some psychic medium. I don't mean it. Please understand that I don't mean it.

She hung up furiously wishing that this was an actual telephone rather than just a mobile so that she could actually slam the receiver down rather than just madly press down on the screen.

The girls stared at her in opened mouth shock. It took a few moments before anyone was able to speak.

"Whoa" Millie gaped. "That was way harsh Weds. What happened the other day?"

"Is he still treating you like shit?"

"Esther, Cartman treats everyone likes hit".

"Not as much as Wendy" Esther argued.

Wendy sat back from the conversation hoping that the fight would continue and she would soon be forgotten. Her heart was racing as if she'd just been chased down the street. She could feel the heat radiating through her cheeks.

"Yeah maybe he secretly likes her or something" Millie giggled.

"Well not now after than she said that" the conversation seemed to dissolve in Wendy's ears. She felt like she was falling through a dark, never ending hole the air rushing around her. She grabbed at her mattress desperate to cling to something. She had never felt more awful. But what could she do? She couldn't ring him and apologize he'd never believe her.

"I've got to go to the bathroom" Wendy flew up from her bed nearly knocking down several cocktails around her.

"Wait!" Bebe called out. "I'll come with you".

Wendy desperately wished that she hadn't. The dark haired girl just wanted to be alone. She didn't want to explain what was going on to her friend especially when she was still so confused about it herself.

Bebe caught her best friend's arm as soon as the pair of them had left the basement.

"Honey what is going on?" the blonde asked her big eyes worried for her best friend.

"Just too much alcohol I guess" Wendy snapped back.

"Okay" Bebe sighed. "You don't want to talk about it I get it, but I'm worried about you Weds. You're under all this pressure and you're going through all this shit at the moment but I'm here".

Strangely it was as if the roles from yesterday had been reversed. Wendy wasn't the person desperately reaching out trying to offer help she was the one throwing it back in the would be helper's face. She took a deep breath and tried to think over it.

"You know you can talk to me about anything right?"

No Bebe I really can't Wendy thought not until I find out what's going on myself.

Wendy smiled through her tears nodding at her friend. "Thank you".

Bebe slipped an arm around her friend drawing her into a hug. Wendy let herself cry against the blonde she could write this off as drunken sobs later anyway. Inside she felt like she was rotting. She knew that no matter how bad a person was they didn't deserve to be kicked out of their own homes. It wasn't as if Cartman was the type of guy that reached out to anyone. Sure he liked to manipulate them but he wouldn't open up about stuff. Things could have been bad for him at home for years and no one would have known. And here Wendy had an opportunity to talk to him maybe help him and she'd screwed it up. If only that disasterous phone call hadn't of been the next point of contact.

But perhaps most upsetting of all was the feeling of overwhelming disappointment. Wendy had an opportunity to talk to Cartman. He hadn't hung up on her or even insulted her well not that much but most surprisingly he had given her space to talk. Why was she was such a retard?


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

As much as she wanted too, Wendy couldn't sob in Heidi's bathroom all night with Bebe's comforting arms around her. She'd have to go and face the onslaught some time or other.

Most people would assume that if someone had just run from the room in a combination of anger and tears everyone would take it pretty easy of them. Maybe offer them a hug, some kind words and an opportunity to talk if they wanted.

But no, Wendy knew better. Heidi would be there waiting to maul her. Like she had anything better to do. Stupid cow.

Wendy dried her tears and tried to hold her head up high. Bebe apologized profusely for drinking so much. "I'd totally take you home if I could".

"It's okay Bebe" Wendy said. It was late, perhaps some of them had passed out by now and she could just curl up in her sleeping bag and sleep for a few hours before sneaking out early. "Come on it will be warmer downstairs".

Bebe nodded shivering underneath the blanket that was draped around her shoulders. The two girls got up at slowly walked back downstairs getting closer to the loud voices that revealed that no one had in fact gone to sleep.

"No way! Craig is so not hotter than Tweek!" Millie cried. Wendy and Bebe shared a look at least the conversation had moved on from Wendy's disastrous phone call.

That was until they re entered the room and suddenly the boisterous conversation died leaving just eerie silence. The girls all shared secretive smiles that Wendy wanted to slap off their faces.

"Hey Wendy are you all right?" Tammy said breaking the silence.

"Yeah" Wendy tried to laugh it off. "You know me several cocktails and I'm a mess".

The girls giggled nervously around her compelled to take the edge out of the awkwardness in the air. Until Heidi stepped forward parting them.

The brunette could hold her alcohol better than Bebe and it showed. Even though she must have downed at least seven drinks by now she still stood up completely straight her speech totally unaffected. She placed a hand on Wendy's shoulder with that smirk on her face.

It took all of Wendy's restraint not to flinch at her touch.

"Wow sweetie, I feel so bad, if I had known you had feelings for Cartman I never would have made you call him up and embarrass yourself like that".

"Um" Wendy said blushing furiously. "I do not have feelings for Cartman".

Heidi cocked an eyebrow. "Oh really? I'm surprised I didn't figure it out earlier. It's so obvious. But Wendy just because the hot guys like Stan aren't into you anymore doesn't mean you have to go for the downright ugly, fat ones. You can do better than that seriously".

Wendy was seconds away from exploding. She had never wanted to hit someone so much ever. She barely had enough willpower to refrain from doing so.

"You sure you're not superimposing your own fantasies here? Must be hard when there's no one to talk to about it but don't worry you two would totally make a perfect couple. You're both so considerate, kind-"

"Sorry honey but all that blubber just don't do it for me" Heidi was still smiling completely unimpressed by Wendy's attack.

"You know what fuck this" Wendy declared. "I'm not dealing with this shit".

The girls watched surprised as Wendy stormed over to her bag and started shoving her things into it. It even took Heidi a moment to react.

"Well if you're feeling shy I could always talk to Cartman for you" Heidi snickered.

Wendy ignored her reaching for her phone. She didn't want to but she was going to call the one person that she could always rely on to pick her up.

"Come on don't have a hissy fit. It's not even that late yet" Heidi was still smiling.

"Whatever" Wendy was done. She really couldn't wait until the end of the year when she could leave this town and all the screwed up people here forever.

The girls who weren't too drunk followed her as she trudged up the stairs and outside to wait for her lift.

"We're sorry Wendy. Heidi didn't really mean it, she's always bitchy when she drinks" Millie tried to explain.

"Yeah I don't care" Wendy replied shaking off the comforting arms her eyes fixed on the road. God could he be any slower? She knew that by turning the cold war between herself and Heidi into a full blown offensive was social suicide. The other girls wouldn't want to be seen with her now otherwise they would risk Heidi's wrath as well. Bebe would stand by her side but Wendy doubted that anyone else would.

Bebe was quick to usher all the girls back into the house. Considering how drunk and sleepy most of them were this wasn't too hard a task. Wendy was grateful for her efforts but hoped that she would just leave her with some space.

When all the other girls had gone Bebe opened her mouth. "God we stop talking for like a day and the whole world changes. What's going on?"

Wendy sighed. She didn't feel like explaining anything right now. "Nothing Bebe. You know Heidi she likes to make a big deal out of anything she can".

"I didn't mean Heidi" Bebe bit her lip unsure if she should continue. "I meant Cartman".

Wendy let out an exasperated sigh flinging her hands up in the air. Her bag toppled from her arms and Bebe was quick to bend down and pick it up.

"For god's sake Bebe, nothing is going on with Cartman. I sure as hell don't like him. Heidi's just being a bitch".

"Yeah okay" Bebe knew when not to push her best friend. Besides a familiar blue car had just pulled up outside. "I'm going to call you tomorrow all right?"

Wendy nodded her limp arms giving her friend a non committal hug. "I'll see you later".

Swinging her bag over her shoulder she made her way up to the old car opening it's backdoor and shoving her stuff in.

The driver quickly got out when he saw that Wendy was clearly struggling with this usually simple task. He reached for the strap of her bag and lifted it off her shoulder and safely into the car. The change in weight made Wendy stumble a little but he was quick to steady her.

"God Stan I can do this myself!" She said slamming the back door angrily.

"Yes I can see that" Stan would have smiled if he hadn't known of the great destruction that Wendy's anger could cause.

Wendy fumbled for the latch on the front door. Why wouldn't the stupid thing open? Goddamn it!

"Here" Stan said opened up the door for her and helping her in like she was some incapacitated feeble old lady unable of even sitting herself down by herself. The dark haired boy shot a worried look at Bebe who was just as concerned as he was.

"I gotta say this isn't how I thought I'd run into you next" Stan said as he started up the engine.

"Shut up okay, you don't know what teenage girls are like" Wendy told him but her words came out in an incomprehensible blubber.

"But um it's good to see you Weds even if it's like this" he continued after trying and failing to figure out what she had said. Wendy could barely listen she was too busy holding onto her stomach which all of a sudden felt as though it was going to heave up all it's contents. Damn this car's lousy suspension.

"I think I'm going to be sick" she said desperately tugging at Stan's side. He was quick to pull over and help Wendy out of his car.

What a great night this was turning out to be Wendy thought bitterly as she fell upon her knees into the hard snow. Stan was quick to kneel beside her holding her hair back while she threw up telling herself that she was never ever going to drink that much again. In the dim streetlight she could barely see what was in front of her which was a blessing because she was sure if she could she'd be throwing up all over again.

With the alcohol coming out of her system she could start to feel the cold of the night closing in around her and realized embarrassed that she was still in her pjs with only her jacket on top to keep her warm. New snow was swirling around her and she started to shiver. Stan put his arms around her she knew that she should have pushed him away but his warmth was kind of nice. She allowed herself to lean back into him a little.

"Are you okay?" he asked stroking her hair. That was kind of nice too but she wished that he'd stop.

"No" Wendy blurted.

"I'm sorry" he said. "This is kinda weird you know. You throwing up because of me".

"You don't make me throw up Stan" Wendy said clutching her head she could feel another hangover coming on already. "You make me swear, punch random objects and yell at unsuspecting strangers on the street but you don't make me throw up".

Stan's face fell. "Wendy I'm sorry, I'll never make a bigger mistake in my entire life. I wanted to tell you that I missed you but I just didn't know how".

He wasn't holding onto her anymore and Wendy wasn't sure if she should be relieved or not. She wiped her mouth on a spare tissue before attempting to stand up.

"You'll make bigger mistakes in your life Stan" Wendy promised. Stan shook his head.

"I don't know how that would be possible" he reached out for her hand and held it. "I really miss you".

Wendy sighed. She had expected this and regretted calling him now. All she wanted was to get home.

"Are you feeling better?" Stan asked and Wendy nodded not sure if that was the true answer or not.

"Just you're not going to start playing me Peter Gabriel again are you?" Wendy asked.

Stan blushed. "Sorry about that".

"It was actually kind of sweet" Wendy admitted. "If a little lame".

Stan helped her back into the car and Wendy slumped into the seat. Her head felt too heavy to hold up. There was silence between them, silence that used to be so comfortable had become suffocating. Wendy just wanted to break out of it.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm better" Wendy admitted grudgingly. She was acutely aware of the large gap between them. Normally when Stan drove he had his arm around her she had never been just a passenger as she was now. The thought made her feel even sicker it was as if she had been thrust into a parallel universe in which she didn't know Stan at all, let alone understand him yet all of his quirks and mannerisms were so familiar to her.

She almost wished that he would put his arm back around her or stroke her hair again just so the odd feeling would go away. Since when did it take this long to get back to her place had South Park recently expanded? Probably the work of evil moles or something. Of course Stan was driving a lot slower than normal that was probably the most rational explanation.

"That's good" he said simply and the pair of them descended into silence once again.

Finally pulling up outside of Wendy's house Stan turned off the engine. Wendy looked at him worriedly. She remembered the hours stolen from the real world when they used to hang out in his car. Kissing, exploring or just talking. There was a familiar ache in her sides. She missed those times and she missed Stan too though she'd never admit it.

"I'll help you with your stuff" Stan offered with a grin that made most girls and some boy's weak at the knees.

"Thanks" Wendy muttered getting out of the car and stumbling out onto the footpath.

Stan got her stuff out of the back and suddenly his arm was around her holding her up. The warmth was nice but at the same time the whole situation was just plain weird.

The two of them walked slowly down the short path to Wendy's house as if trying to extend their time together or maybe just because Wendy just couldn't' walk straight.

She managed to reach her doorstep unscathed and they stopped.

"Thank you".

"It's okay" Stan said gruffly looking downwards embarrassed. "I guess I'll see you at the English exam".

"Yeah" Wendy nodded. "Of course"

"And then maybe" his eyes were still on the ground. "We could meet up afterwards I know this nice restaurant we could go to".

"We'll see Stan" Wendy said with a sigh.

"Okay I don't mean to pressure you" Stan said backing away. "I just want you to know that I'm sorry and if there's anything I can do ever to make it up to you um call me".

"Thanks Stan" Wendy said. "I really want to go to bed. I'll see you". She kissed his cheek and then blushed remembering how rank she must smell.

"I miss you" Stan said as Wendy opened the door to her house and stepped inside.

Letting out a deep breath she wondered what was holding her back. Laying awake long into the night she still couldn't figure it out. It couldn't just be the cheating anymore. She felt like she was stuck between holding onto her safe past and wanting something more.

When she finally closed her eyes it wasn't Stan's face that she saw instead it was a pair of dark eyes that filled her thoughts.

Thanks for reading! Reviews are loved :)


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Wendy was back in detention. You would have thought that shelving books in the library would have been a pretty important thing to do and over the exam timetable someone should have finished the job. But no, the books had been left in their never ending piles for Cartman and Wendy to put away.

Only Cartman hadn't bothered to rock up yet and Wendy was left to do all the work on her own. So much the better actually. It meant that she had to move all the books herself but there was no asshole making life hell for her either.

Just as a satisfied smile crossed Wendy's lips the library door swung open and Cartman strode in. The smug stride that had looked so ridiculous when he was younger actually suited him now. Wendy tried not to stare as she noticed that he was wearing new clothes. At least clothes she had never seen before. A smart black shirt and new jeans, not the kind of clothes that you'd wear to a hard manual labour detention session. They kind of looked good on him. It was weird they actually looked a bit like the clothes that Stan had worn to Shelley's engagement party last year. But Cartman would never be able to borrow anything from Stan. The clothes simply wouldn't fit.

"Stop checking me out ho" he said striding over his dark eyes glittering and Wendy quickly turned away, a little too obviously.

"In your wet dreams fatass" She replied but the words came out too slowly and Cartman just laughed. Wendy's whole world seemed to slow down then like she was floating through jelly or something. She turned back to the books.

To her surprise after Cartman had set his stuff down on a table he got to work helping her. Sorting out the books and shelving them close by her side. The pair were silent as they worked.

Wendy picked up a particularly large volume and staggered under it's weight.

"Just can't handle yourself can you whore?" Cartman sniggered by her side.

"Shut up fatass" Wendy said or rather that's what she would have said if he hadn't suddenly grabbed the book to help her. His hands ever so slightly touching her own. She felt warmth flush through her. Little tingles made their way up and down her spine until she could barely move. She looked up at the large boy knowing that she blushing. Cartman continued to stare back. His dark eyes were sparkling as if he was victorious somehow.

"Um, I really think that we better get back to-" Wendy mumbled half heartedly but she was having difficulty looking away from Cartman's eyes. She'd been put into a trance and couldn't tell whether it was pleasurable or painful.

"Here" Cartman slowly took the book from her and placed it on the shelf his eyes never leaving hers. The two students stared at eachother for a moment a strange silence passing over them. Wendy was sure she was sweating. God why couldn't he look away damnit!

Almost in slow motion Cartman reached out towards her his hand reaching on her cheek which immediately burnt up so much that Wendy was surprised that he didn't withdraw it immediately. Her heart was in her throat.

"Cartman" she creaked her voice reduced to a small whimper like the rest of her.

"Wendy" he replied smoothly before leaning towards her. His breath hot on her neck. His lips meeting hers in a rare moment of tenderness that quickly gave way to passion. Wendy moaned into the kiss in too much pleasure to care about how fucked up this was.

The kissing got more heated as Cartman's arms quickly snaked around Wendy's waist drawing her close as possible to his body. If wasn't holding her so tightly Wendy was sure that she would have feinted by now. That impossibly delicious smell floating around her head was almost too much too bear. She softly nipped the bottom of his lip allowing herself to be more playful than she had ever been with Stan. It was like unleashing a more fun part of herself. Cartman smiled a rare smile of enjoyment before pushing Wendy up against the wall between the shelves. His hands slowly working his way down her shirt.

"Oh my god!" Wendy sat upright still flushed from her dream. Her heart was still beating heavily and took a while too slow even as she gradually came to the realization that she was still in her bed and not in Cartman's arms.

"I am so fucked up" she groaned to herself before turning her eyes to her bedside clock and realizing that it was five thirty the morning of the English exam. She lay back against her pillows letting out a large sigh. She was just getting to the good part of the dream too. Why did that always happen to her- wait? What?

Turning around she buried her face in her pillows. How was she going to look at him now? And of course she had to have some fucked up sex dream right before the exam. Shit! Shit! Shit! Just thinking about the dream made her blush so furiously she was surprised that she hadn't set the bed on fire already.

"Why is this happening to me?" She moaned.

Unable to get back to sleep Wendy resolved to get up and try to get it all out of her system so that she could just settle down and take the exam. Because teenagers were fucked up right? They had fucked up hormones and did fucked up things. She remembered when Bebe had told her about a far more detailed sex dream with Butters that she'd had. They had laughed about it, it seemed so ridiculous since Bebe or in fact anyone found Butters attractive, but then why did Wendy's dream bother her so much? She certainly wasn't going to go into depth with Bebe about it. She didn't need the Cosmo style psychology analysis that her best friend would provide. She'd already been having a hard enough time trying to dodge her phone calls and visits anyway.

It was probably just the break up with Stan. She needed somewhere to place her feelings and deliberately chosen someone she found repulsive to ensure it would never happen and she wouldn't get hurt again so soon. Yeah that had to be it.

As the morning rapidly descended Wendy was still having difficulty forgetting the dream. She felt a queasy feeling in her stomach and tried to tell herself that it was just nerves- about the exam. Not anything else.

She reviewed her notes and flipped through the chosen texts refreshing several already memorized scenes in her mind. She hoped that she was going to be okay. This was the last exam for the term. Soon she'd have a whole week off before going back to school again. That week couldn't come soon enough.

Picking out an outfit she found herself trying on her shorter skirts. She couldn't understand why. She knew how cold it was and how impractical a skirt was and there really was no reason for her to be wearing one. It wasn't like she was out to impress anyone.

Still she found herself analyzing her appearance in her bedroom mirror as if she was planning an interview or an important date. Trying on one outfit after the other until a huge pile of clothes were threatening to take over her room.

"Wendy" her mother called tapping on her door. "Are you okay? There's only twenty minutes until the start of the exam!"

"Oh shit!" Wendy panicked finally settling on a v neck top and dark jeans. She had spent more time choosing an outfit than she had revising. What was she doing? What was wrong with her?

"I'll go start the car sweetie, meet you outside" her mother added and Wendy gathered up her stuff. Since the English exam began at nine her mother had time to take her before work. This meant that Wendy was basically walking into it alone. She hoped that Heidi could drop it just before the exam. She had been dealing with her bitchy messages all weekend but so far had managed not to give her the reaction that she wanted but her patience was wearing thin.

Putting her stuff into her bag she trudged downstairs trying to keep her mind focused on the exam but failing. Her heartbeat was rising, her hands sweaty. She'd have to face Eric Cartman all by herself today.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Wendy stepped out of the car her head a swirl of confusion and guilt. Her mother kissed her on the head wishing her good luck before quickly driving away. Wendy clutched at her books nervously. The last remaining details of her dream stuck firmly in her head. She could remember so vividly the touch of his lips, his hands against her leg, the smile in his eyes as if it had been so real. There was determination growing within her to see if it would actually feel the same way in real life.

She also felt rising guilt about the way she treated him over the phone. He didn't deserve that and she wanted to apologize. Though she knew her chances of him ever forgiving her were pretty slim she wished that it didn't tear her up inside like it did.

Walking towards the building she saw groups of students milling around outside waiting to be let in. Her eyes searched for Cartman, he certainly wouldn't be hard to miss. She saw the other group of boys he sometimes hung around Clyde and Token's group. She saw Jimmy pacing around on his crutches stuttering his way through the English texts they had studied and the Goth kids huddled in the bushes stealing a last cigarette.

Then her eyes caught sight of him. Standing deep in discussion with Stan there were serious looks on both of their faces. Kyle paced around them obviously stressing about the exam. She watched as Stan shared a smile with Cartman a heavy weight in her shoulders. So determined to walk up to them she suddenly lost her nerve.

Before she could think anymore on the matter the doors of the Old Planetarium swung open and an examiner welcomed them all in. Students began to pile into the room nervously and Wendy followed.

Damn she wished that she wasn't sitting behind him. She could clearly watch Cartman as he stretched his hands over his head a cocky smile spreading all over his face as he turned to smirk at his neighbour Kyle who frowned back at him. She saw him pick up a pen twirling it around in his hands. An examiner on a power trip walked past and snatched him off at him muttering that he must wait until the exam officially started. He didn't looked fazed in fact he looked pleased. Wendy couldn't help but smile back.

"Okay you may turn your exams over and begin fifteen minutes reading time" one of the examiner's spoke and Wendy was jolted back into a very cruel reality. She forced herself to look away from Cartman just as Stan turned around in his seat. He was obviously looking for her. His eyes meeting hers and smiling. Wendy smiled back weakly.

How the hell was she supposed to get through this?

The two hours passed quickly and Wendy read through her essay responses as students all around her slowly filled out of the room until she was one of the few left. She was determined to stay here and read over her answers until her time was up. She knew her answers were bad but as she was about three minutes away from the end of the exam there was nothing she could do about it. She knew that she should have felt like crying but she didn't. Taking a gulp of water from her bottle she surveyed the other kids in the room.

Kyle was still there of course going over his paper every now and then he would stop and scribble something down. There were a few random girls that Wendy knew by sight but had never bothered to get to know. She looked up at Cartman's empty chair and sighed. There had gone another opportunity to talk to him.

Despondent she gathered up her stuff so that she could leave as soon as the final minute of the exam passed by.

Walking out the door her books clutched under her arm Wendy expected to feel a sense of relief that exams were over for this semester and now she had a week to herself filled with parties and get togethers but she just couldn't get excited about it.

She looked up ahead and saw surprised that Stan, Cartman and Kyle were still standing around talking or rather Stan looked like he was doing his best to try and calm Kyle down whilst Cartman just looked amused.

"Hey Wendy hope you weren't too distracted staring at Cartman's butt crack" .

Oh how wonderful. Heidi Turner had appeared from nowhere just to maker her day better.

"Hope you didn't cry too much looking in the mirror this morning" Wendy replied trying to walk away.

"No because I don't wake up looking like you" Heidi snarled and Wendy felt her exasperation burst.

"Just what is your problem? Seriously? Is this some kind of sport or something? Are you really that pathetic?"

"Pathetic? That's rich isn't it coming from you? Having a crush on Eric Cartman and all" Heidi smirked and Wendy blushed. She had said it just loud enough for Cartman to hear.

"Shut up Heidi" Wendy hissed embarrassed. She was aware of a growing crowd forming around them the members obviously looking for a bit of post exam entertainment. All of them within earshot of her embarrassing secret if Heidi chose to open her mouth again. That bitch knew it too the knowing smirk in her eyes.

"What shut up about you being obsessed with-" she didn't have the chance to finish Wendy had leapt forward her bag falling off her shoulder and into the snow desperately clasping onto Heidi's mouth. The staggering onlookers had now formed a tight crowd around them.

Heidi swung her elbow around into Wendy's stomach winding her. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Wendy's response was another lunge this time for those precious hair extensions. Heidi let out a shriek aiming a mistimed kick at Wendy's shins nearly falling over in the process.

"Don't you dare bitch! Do you know how much these cost?" Heidi reached out for Wendy's face and dug her nails in. Wendy squealed in pain before yanking the brunette head back in a violent pull.

The pair of them tumbled to the ground to the gleeful chants of 'fight, fight, fight!' and 'pull her top off!" from the moronic onlookers.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Stan playing the hero as always dashed over and tried to stop the two girls but even his strength wasn't enough to stop the determination for the girls to inflict as much pain as possible on one another.

Desperately clinging onto Heidi Stan tried to stop her from swatting at Wendy but the dark haired girl was just glad that now her target was now immbolized. It took a much larger pair of arms to stop her as Kyle helped Stan with Heidi.

Really all Cartman needed to do was to place a single finger anywhere on her and Wendy probably would have frozen still. But now he had both of his arms tightly around her waist holding her firmly. She was entirely surrounded by his body, his warmth encapsulating her the soft remains of cologne on his neck.

Wendy was breathing fast as the feelings of anger slowly turned into a lustful fear. Suddenly her entire dream from last night flashed before her eyes she closed her eyes shuddering. All her surroundings disappeared before her eyes all she could do was be engulfed by his touch.

"You are one crazy bitch ho" Cartman muttered his face against her neck his voice almost stroking the side of her face. Wendy shivered.

"L- let go of me" she muttered weakly.

Cartman laughed. "And what let you kill her? As entertaining as that would be, I just don't need to get involved in another homicide case at the moment, I like to keep the stats even".

Wendy snorted. "I wasn't going to kill her just mess up her hair a bit".

Stan was still struggling to keep Heidi restrained. It took the brunette a moment to realize who was actually holding on to her when she did she smirked at Wendy slowly stroking Stan's arm as if to show him off. Wendy rolled her eyes.

"Now what is going on here?" an angry voice called out and a shiver ran down Wendy's spine. They had been caught. Cartman quickly let go of her and she was suddenly forced to stand alone she barely had the strength to do so but managed not to fall over.

She turned around and saw the stern faced examiner striding towards with them with the three others following close behind. Wendy felt her whole body turn cold still aware that Cartman had not let go of her completely still grasping tightly onto her wrist as if expecting her to run away.

The examiner stopped looking around. The crowd that had gathered quickly broke into groups trying to look as though they had been immersed in causal conversation this whole time. Some looked read to run off altogether.

The stern faced examiner looked around with beady eyes but apart from the small scratches on Wendy's face and Heidi's messed up hair there weren't too many signs of damage.

"Have you boys been fighting?" the examiner asked staring back and forth from Cartman and Stan and Kyle. Wendy looked fearfully over at Heidi trying to conceal her terror. If that bitch blurted anything out right now then Wendy could be repeating this whole year. But surely Heidi couldn't hate her that much that she would jeopardize her own marks? Could she?

There was silence all around making the situation more and more suspicious by the second. When Wendy realized that no one was going to speak up she cleared her throat so she could do so.

"Excuse me Maam but no one was fighting" she used her sweetest most believable tone of voice.

"Oh really" the attention was suddenly on Wendy, those hawk eyes almost burnt through her. "Then why the close physical proximity?"

"We were just celebrating Miss" Stan spoke up quickly to support Wendy and at that moment she could have hugged him.

"I'm not stupid mister".

"Well that may be so but as an external supervisor you have no authoritah over the students in a normal school setting" Wendy looked up surprised to see Cartman looking the examiner square in the eye his arms folded. She blushed a little forgetting the severity of the situation for a moment. Was he standing up for her?

The examiner's face seemed to visually tighten. "Well you're absolutely right apart from the fact that I do have the ability to confiscate any written material that may or may not involve your entire written exam".

Wendy's heart was beating fast in her chest. She just couldn't have her paper taken away.

"Which is why I'm going to have to disqualify you" the examiner spoke sharply pointing at Heidi whose face fell and a small squeak emitted from her lips. "And you".

Wendy's stomach dropped as the examiner pointed directly at her. She wanted to scream and burst into tears but was so stunned that she couldn't do either. Everyone around her gasped. They all knew how hard Wendy had been working they all knew how much she cared about these exams.

"Your student numbers please" the examiner continued unflinching.

Wendy clenched her fists. How had she been so stupid? She had thrown everything away in that one moment. If only she had just stopped to think and realized that it wasn't wroth it.

"Uh wait a moment Miss. I think that you'll find that you are in fact mistaken" Everyone turned around stunted to see that Eric Cartman had spoken up yet again. They wondered what he could possibly say it wasn't like he could destroy Wendy anymore. Still she glared at him hoping that he was not about to somehow make her dire situation worse.

"It wasn't Wendy involved in this at all, it was my fault. I said something stupid and offensive and Heidi reacted appropriately".

Wendy's mouth openly fell open. She had to physically push her jaw back up but the look of disbelief didn't leave her eyes. What alternate universe had she stumbled into today?

"Are you saying young man that you are the one entirely responsible for this?"

"Oh yeah totally responsible, it was all me" Cartman said glancing over his nails completely nonchalant. "Oh and Kyle of course".

"What?" Kyle shrieked.

"Well I think you two young men better come with me" the examiner folded her arms.

"Miss, that fatass is lying, that's really not what happened" Kyle protested. The red head and Stan ran up to her pleading. Wendy knew that she should step forward and explain the situation too. It was her punishment to take not Kyle's but she still couldn't move.

"I'm having none of this you and you come with me now!"

As Cartman stepped forward surprisingly obediently Wendy caught his sleeve trying to hold him back.

"What did you do that?" she asked breathlessly.

Carmtan just shrugged not fussed.

"The greater good I guess" He shrugged her off Wendy tried to keep hold onto him but he strode away.

"Just let it go ho please" Cartman muttered in stark contrast to a furious Kyle whose face was as red as his hair.

Wendy stood motionless. She knew that she should correct the lie but she was so stunned by it that she could barely move.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N- Okay this chapter and the next were originally one chapter but it was getting too big so I cut it up. So sorry if this chapter seems boring because it's basically the lead up to the more exiting stuff in the next bit. It isn't meant to be a cliffhanger or anything and the next part will be up really soon. Thanks everyone for reading and I hope you enjoy :)

Chapter Fifteen

Of course the examiners found out that Cartman was lying soon enough and Wendy had to face the consequences of her actions. Though luckily enough they weren't as harsh as they might have been. After discussing her good record it was decided that her exam wouldn't be striped from her but she had been removed as class president and would face an extra week of detention.

Wendy was relieved that she didn't need to repeat an exam anymore but she couldn't get over the guilty feeling in her stomach. She still had no idea why Cartman had taken the blame for her. It was so unexpected and didn't make any sense. The last time they had a proper conversation she had basically told him to go die. Why was he so willing to put his neck out for her? What was he up to?

That little gesture, no huge gesture was making it pretty hard for her to hate him anymore. In fact she had curled herself up in his jacket that she still hadn't given back to him and probably never would. However the smell of the cologne was fading quickly though loosing it's magic.

She rolled over on her bed staring up at the chapped paint on the ceiling. She was meant to be getting ready for a party over at Red's house to celebrate the end of the exam period but she didn't really want to go. She didn't need any more emotional drama for the time being. The current load was quite enough. She'd been keeping herself isolated for three whole days now barely leaving her room even to eat. Her phone had been ringing non stop but she didn't answer it. She told her Mother to tell any callers that she was sick. She needed time to think.

Pulling herself off up the bed she checked her clock. It was seven thirty, Red's party would be starting soon. Maybe no one would notice if she didn't turn up.

As if on cue her phone rang. Bebe's number flashing furiously. Wendy sighed knowing that she'd have to answer.

"Hello".

"And just when I thought you had died. What the hell's wrong with you?" her blonde friend snapped into the phone.

"I've been sick" Wendy's voice was dry enough to make most people believe that.

"Well you better get better I thought you were going to come over to get ready with me" Bebe whined.

"Bebe I'm not really feeling-"

"My ass Weds" Bebe cut her off. "I know you're worried about Heidi, but it's going to be a lot worse if you don't turn up, you gotta show that bitch you're not afraid of her".

"It's not that-" Wendy tried to say.

"Look come for me okay" Bebe pleaded. "I haven't seen you in ages plus I don't know what to wear".

Wendy rolled her eyes of course that was Bebe's main concern.

"All right, I'll be over in about an hour" Wendy agreed. Dragging herself up she began to pack.

Bebe eagerly greeted her at the door the blonde's face already half made up her hair neatly straightened. Her face immediately fell as soon as she caught Wendy's expression.

"God you really do look like shit".

"Thanks" Wendy snapped.

"No problem it's nothing a bit of concealer can't help, fuck you're lucky you came over so I can fix this". Bebe smiled even more perky than usual. Wendy knew that she was trying to cheer her up. It wasn't working. In fact it was making her more annoyed.

She tried to zone out whilst Bebe got to work around her flitting about the room gossiping away at a million miles an hour. Wendy just nodded otherwise sitting motionless whilst Bebe made her up.

"Heidi might not even make it to Red's anyway" Bebe continued failing to notice that Wendy wasn't paying attention. "From what I heard her parent's grounded her for two weeks"

"Mmmmhhhmmm" Wendy nodded. She was about to completely zone out until Bebe turned the mirror towards her and she gasped.

"Fuck Bebe I don't want to go looking like a total slut!" she cried out. The blonde had put entirely too much eyeliner and mascara on her. She could have passed for one of the Goths if it weren't for her bright pink lips.

"Honey you look hot!" Bebe looked a little hurt as if she had been personally insulted.

"Just take some of it off please," Wendy begged.

Bebe sighed dramatically. "Oh okay, but you know Cartman's going to be there right, I checked with Kyle".

Wendy inwardly groaned. "What the fuck has that got to do with anything?" She said a little too loudly and Bebe raised an eyebrow as if her suspicions had been confirmed. "And what's that look for?"

"Come off it sweetie I saw the way he was holding you after the English exam and the way you were fucking glowing about it too" Bebe smiled.

"Shut up Bebe" Wendy felt her face grow hot.

"Seriously Weds, I'm pretty sure he likes you too ask him out already damnnit" she said leaning forward dabbing underneath her friend's eyes with a damp cotton bud.

"What? After telling him that I wouldn't give a shit if he died and he deserved to be abused, not the best strategy" The words just came flying out of Wendy's mouth before she could stop them. She blushed furiously covering her mouth as soon as she realized her mistake and wished desperately as if she could pull the words back in.

Bebe smiled but not in a mocking way. She rested her hands on her best friend's shoulders. "Doesn't that feel better?"

"Okay" Wendy sighed although her blush was so red it was basically burning her cheeks she could feel a heavy weight lift slowly off her shoulders. "He's not really that disgusting, mean spirited and downright evil to me. Oh god I have issues".

"It's fine" Bebe was still smiling. "Just go talk to him tonight, the guy freaking lied for you risking repeating an entire year of school".

"Yeah" Wendy blinked as Bebe leant back from her face examining her work. "But even if that's true, things are still weird with Stan".

"Oh my god girl someone could totally write a soap opera about your life, or at least a really bad piece of fan fiction" Bebe snorted.

"Excuse me?" Wendy was confused.

"Never mind" Bebe sighed. "So have you been ignoring Stan too or is that pleasure just reserved for me?"

"I'm sorry" Wendy groaned. She felt sick at her sudden confession but at least Bebe seemed to be be taking it very well. "I've been ignoring everyone it's nothing personal".

"Well that's fucking over" Bebe said turning the mirror so Wendy could look at herself. "Is that better?"

Her face was less hookerish now but she was still wearing much more makeup than she normally would. "Yeah okay".

"Well then clothes!" Bebe said already rummaging through her wardrobe.

It was about ten before they actually arrived at Red's place. It wasn't a bad time to rock up. All the early awkwardness had passed and the party was just getting going before everyone got too drunk and starting passing out and throwing up.

Red welcomed them at the door. Wendy was a little nervous that she might have snubbed her just to remain on Heidi's good side but she hugged both of the girls affectionately before letting them inside.

"Awww I'm so glad you're here didn't think you guys were coming" She smiled opening the door for the two girls the booming music soon filling their ears.

Red's place might not have been as perfect as Token's for a party but for an average house it had a pretty good set up. There was a large extension out the back where the music, dancing and alcohol was. There was a large backyard where some guys were sitting around a fire and a large kitchen where the food was all laid out.

Bebe grabbed Wendy's hand excitedly pulling her through out to the backroom. Wendy cast her eyes around the house trying not to look as though she was trying to find Cartman. There were a lot of people here that she had never seen before as well as most of her classmates. Whenever one of them caught her staring she quickly flicked her eyes away as if it were only a momentary glance.

Bebe's Kyle radar was as finely tuned as always and she quickly found him lounging against a kitchen bench beer in hand talking with Stan. The red head looked pleased when he saw Bebe but his eyes narrowed at Wendy when she looked over. Obviously he was still angry with her for not telling the truth to the examiners. Whatever, Wendy hadn't gotten over him for kissing her ex boyfriend. She glared back.

Her lazer death ray was interrupted when a much friendlier face greeted her.

"I'm glad you're here," Stan said smiling sliding off the bench top where he'd been sitting. "I've been worried about you".

"Really?" Wendy asked surprised. "Why?"

"Just about your sanity" Stan smirked slipping an arm around her shoulders. "You know people spreading rumours that you're obsessed with Cartman".

Wendy felt her stomach drop she hoped that her face didn't reflect that. "Yeah if that ever happens I want you to commit me to a mental hospital".

"Can I get you a drink?" Stan stroked her hair smiling. Wendy gritted her teeth she could see what his plans were for the night.

"Um okay" she agreed and Stan ducked behind her to search through the extensively stocked esky. Wendy glanced around the room luckily she couldn't see Heidi just yet but as far as she could tell Cartman didn't appear to be here either. Most people seemed to be gathered out the back room where the music was anyway, maybe she could just slip back there for a second.

"Here you are" Stan was back with two beers in his hand. He opened one for Wendy before handing it to her.

"Thanks" Wendy said taking a tentative sip telling herself not to get drunk tonight it had caused too much trouble before.

Speaking of trouble just as Stan starting talking about something stupid Kenny had done Heidi entered the room. The girl looked damn gorgeous in a little black halter dress and silver heals. She had over done it of course for a casual party but it certainly had the boys swirling around her.

Wendy shot a worried looked up at Bebe who was too busy fluttering her eyelashes at Kyle to notice. Wendy rolled her eyes.

"Everything all right?" Stan asked worriedly.

Wendy nodded her eyes still looking over at Heidi. Luckily the brunette seemed too busy with all the male attention to notice her across the room.

"Marsh!" Wendy looked up at a drunken member of the football team stumbling towards them. She stepped out of his way before the hulk of a boy nearly fell on her. Wendy barely escaped half of the beer that flew out of his bottle as he tried to straighten up. "When are you coming back to practice? We need you".

"I've told you I have exams to study for" Stan grinned.

Wendy sighed before slowly slipping away watching Stan slowly take on the behaviour of the drunken louts around him like it was some weird kind of science.

Things weren't anymore civilized in the lounge room where the furniture had been pushed away and a heap of people mostly guys sat in a circle playing sex chicken. Wendy couldn't help but stare in horror and watch the train wreck unfold around her. The circle was full of shy individuals hoping that fate would led them to an intimate moment with their crush and with horny, slutty teens hoping to get some action. Wendy noticed Kenny McKormick sitting there rubbing his hands together in anticipation his eyes dancing. At least Cartman wasn't playing Wendy reassured herself and quickly moved away before the bottle landed on Millie and Tweek.

"G-gahhhh! Too much pressure!" the blonde squeaked whilst Millie twirled her hair around her finger.

Wendy walked into the backroom where the music was pumping and the lights were dim. The smells of alcohol and smoke were a little stronger out here. A heap of girls were dancing to the music whilst groups of guys surveyed them from the sidelines. Wendy sighed a deep sigh of relief when she realized that Cartman wasn't one of them. The feeling quickly disappeared however when she remembered she was actually looking for him and he was in none of the places he should have been. She shook herself angry that she was actually consciously looking for him now. What the fuck was wrong with her?

She was just about to turn away when Red emerged from the shimmy of dancing girls and tugged at Wendy's arm. Wendy tried to refuse but somehow she was drawn into the bunch of mostly tipsy girls who were doing things they would never do when they were sober. The crowd of on lookers probably played a fact too as they fake flirted and giggled making Wendy feel as though she had suddenly turned forty five.

It took several songs before Wendy was finally able to escape. The one beer she had drank only slightly buzzing around in her head. She was not going to get drunk tonight she reminded herself as she found her way back into the kitchen. Stan and Kyle had totally disappeared along with the members of the football team.

"Wendy! There you are!" Bebe said emerging from a group of guys who were all obviously after her attention. "I've been meaning to talk to you about something really important, alone". She sent death glares around and the guys gradually got the hint and scattered.

"Oh my god" She whispered into her friend's ear annoyed. "They just won't leave me alone I don't get it".

Wendy tried hard not to snort. She definitely got it. If any other girl was to wear the exact same outfit that Bebe did it wouldn't have been such a big deal but her figure just shone through everything she wore no matter how loose or baggy it was.

"What did you do with Kyle?" Wendy asked looking around for the redhead.

"He's off getting smashed" Bebe said flippantly. "Stan followed him too I think, have you found Cartman yet?" The blonde's voice was much louder than she realized and Wendy cringed. She was far too aware that Heidi was still lurking around.

"Can you please be quiet about that" Wendy hissed. "How much have you had to drink?"

"Not enough" Bebe grinned before grabbing her friend's hand. "Let's fix that shall we?"

"Um it's okay Bebe, I think I'm gonna go find Stan" Wendy said shaking her friend off.

Bebe snorted. "Yeah right Staannnn sure".

Wendy rolled her eyes quickly walking away back into the lounge room where the game of chicken was still going on the participants however were considerably more drunk this time around. Wendy watched as Tammy took her turn spinning the bottle. God what was so fascinating about this damn game anyway?

A hand on her shoulder and the mixed smell of spirits told her Bebe had followed her. "Any gay action yet?" she asked and Wendy snorted.

"God Bebe I've been here five seconds of course not".

"Goddamnit" Bebe sighed. "I wonder if I can talk Kyle into joining" she said with a smile walking off to find the unfortunate redhead.

Oh God just so long as he doesn't need to hold his best friend's hand to do it Wendy shuddered. Suddenly a strong image of Kyle all over Stan came to her head and she felt like gagging. She had to walk away from the room quickly trying to tell herself it was best if she just forgot all that mess. It must have been some misunderstanding. Kyle must have somehow fallen, the Jewboy was pretty clumsy after all, and landed on Stan's lips for a moment. Yeah that must be it she felt better as she walked into the kitchen.

Her mood changed suddenly when she realized who she'd nearly run into. All thoughts of Stan and especially Kyle flew out of her head and heart seemed to plunge deep into her stomach. She had been looking for Cartman all night she still wasn't ready to face him.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

"You fucking stalking me ho?" Cartman smirked. He was leaning up against the bench much in the same manner relaxed manner as Stan had been except his hands were full of potato chips and cheesy poofs. Wearing a white shirt and jeans that shouldn't have be so sexy on someone as big as him he looked amused at her presence.

"What a surprise" Wendy folded her arms trying to mimic the large boy's confidence. "Finding you in the kitchen".

"Right where you're supposed to be hey bitch, here to make me sandwich?" Cartman removed his hand from the bowl of chips and turned to face Wendy his smirk broadening. She hoped that her shaking wasn't too noticeable.

"Wow really fucking original comeback" Wendy snapped. She didn't have to fake it she was actually annoyed. She just didn't get how he could be so sweet one moment and such an asswipe the next it made her head spin.

"You know calling something original sarcastically isn't exactly the peak of creativity either ho" Cartman's eyes seemed to dance around in delight. Time for a new strategy.

"Why did you lie for me about the exam?" she asked bluntly and Cartman's whole expression changed from a smug confidence to almost a sort of fear. He took a step back.

"To get Kyle in shit. It would be seriously funny if he failed, his mum would probably send him to concentration camp or something".

Wendy wanted to tell him that that was one of the most retarded things she'd ever heard but knew she couldn't get sidetracked. "Seriously Cartman?"

"I am seriously bitch!" Cartman snapped but his voice wavered a little. "Don't think it's got anything to do with you hippie! I've probably failed that fucking exam anyway".

"Then why save my ass? Why not just drag me into it with Kyle? What the fuck is this greater good stuff?" Wendy leant further and further towards him with every question completely aware of his body and the fact that he was wearing that freaking cologne again. It kept her so distracted that she didn't even realize that people were beginning to wonder over trying to figure out what was going on.

"Wow you seriously remember the exact words of what I said? You really _do _have it bad for me!" his voice was a whisper. He had realized that people were gathering around and was in no mood for them to stay.

"Get over yourself fatass" Wendy sighed. She wished that she could just walk away from him but no some part of herself, a disturbing large part of herself wanted to stay. It was almost as if she was enjoying arguing with him.

"You get over me first".

Before Wendy could answer a large cheer went up in the lounge room.

"Lesbian chicken!" someone roared in glee and whoever was in the kitchen before promptly left. Wendy was completely alone with Cartman. Her throat grew dry.

"Um I never said thanks" Wendy croaked unsure of where those words had come from. "That really meant a lot".

There was silence. Suddenly she was unable to look at him in the face and instead found herself staring at his arms. As he reached over to grab another handful of chips she saw his crisp white sleeve slid down his arm revealing a strange discolouration across his wrist.

Not thinking she reached out and grabbed his arm just below the bruise. She felt her anger melt away. All of a sudden her little high school dramas seemed so insignificant and she felt horribly guilty.

"Careful slutbucket" Cartman hissed quickly pulling his hand away.

"Cartman" Wendy clutched onto his sleeves as he tried to pull away. "You have to let someone know about this. It can't keep happening".

"I thought you said I fucking deserved it bitchho!"

"Can you not talk to me like that when I'm trying to help you?" Wendy wanted to burst into tears. She had no idea what she was doing she should have just walked away and tried to find Bebe or someone else to hang out with. But she was so close to him now that she could barely make sense of anything.

"I'll do whatever I want thanks".

Wendy couldn't help herself she let out a sigh of exasperation. "You are such a fucking asshole!" The words just let fly from her mouth and she almost didn't care.

"Go hug a fucking tree hippie!" Cartman's shy stance was shed as anger flared up in his face. He leant menancingly towards Wendy.

"Fucking make me prickface!" Wendy glared back reflecting Cartman's aggressive stance. She had pushed her face almost against his their noses almost touching. When the moment of anger passed she gulped suddenly nervous.

"Oh I intend to" Cartman's smirk twitched for a moment before he leaned forward just half a milimetre more and found her lips. Wendy was so shocked and so pleasantly surprised that it took her a moment to react to it.

She slowly began to kiss him back letting him pull her against his body until his cologne filled her head making her dizzy. One of his hands held her behind her head the other around her shoulders keeping her from falling to the ground.

Then she came to her senses. "What the fuck?" she said pushing him away annoyed. "You can't just-"

She was silenced as he kissed her again. Powerless to stop him she shivered in delight as if she had just exploded in pleasure. She could barely keep to her feet her knees actually went weak as if she was in one of those lame ass movies. The kiss quickly grew more and more passionate and Wendy quickly forgot about all her surroundings. The fact that she was making out with Cartman in a completely open kitchen when half of her class could walk in on her on any second totally escaped her.

Stan had certainly never kissed her like this. There was almost a hunger in Cartman's actions he truly desired her. Sure Stan kissed her softly and sweetly and his technique was much smoother but he was always stopping to ask her if she was okay and what this okay and did she mind if did that. It was probably why they had never had sex.

This didn't make sense but at that precious moment in time Wendy couldn't have cared less. Everything was truly getting fucked up for her but she was enjoying it too much to notice.

She sighed as Cartman moved down to her neck. He stroked her dark hair behind her ear and began to nibble teasingly. Wendy was sure that she was going to explode.

"You asshole" she murmured halfheartedly.

"Hippie" he whispered contently lifting her small frame up onto the kitchen bench and continuing to kiss her. His hands beginning to wander and Wendy let them until…

"What the fuck?"

Wendy snapped back to reality her heart suddenly frozen in fear. Cartman's eyes popped and he suddenly jumped back from her turning around.

A stunned figure was gaping at them mouth wide open in shock.

Wendy peered behind Cartman her hands flying off him as though he had suddenly turned red hot.

"Oh crap" she squeaked.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Wendy tried to move but realized she was caught in a rather compromising position between Cartman's legs, her hair messy and her face red.

Both she and Cartman stared in horror as Kenny McKormick gaped at them in total disbelief.

"Oh my god" he said his mouth hanging open like a door about to fall off it's hinges.

"Kenneh let's not going to conclusions neh" Cartman's usually smooth voice stuttered a little and Wendy couldn't help but smile a bit realizing that he was just as nervous about this as she was. She'd expected him to laugh about it then tell Kenny that he owed him money for winning the bet. That kind of thing.

"I can't believe you guys didn't tell me there were girls making out!" Kenny cried almost falling to his knees in despair.

It took Wendy a moment to realize what he actually said and when she did she struggled to control a giggle. Anybody else even if they were as drunk as Kenny was would have been more concerned with the fact that two evil forces were going for it on the kitchen bench. But sightings of the lesbian variety remained the number one priority for Kenny.

"Well" Cartman was surprisingly agile in the way he let go of Wendy and swooped over to Kenny putting an arm around his shoulders as if he were a dodgy car salesman looking to make a deal. "You just get over there right away, don't want to miss anything else that's bound to happen".

Cartman gave Kenny a firm push towards the lounge room as if here were deeply annoyed with him.

"Yeah well there bloody better" the drunken blond staggered away.

Cartman turned back to Wendy a triumphant smirk on his lips. Wendy let out a sigh of relief. The crisis had been averted. She was about to slide down off the bench and onto her feet when she realized a far more sober figure was staring at her his arms folded.

"What the hell?" Kyle did his best to look formidable but with his busy red hair sprouting form his head like a mushroom cloud he couldn't quite pull it off.

"Ah my dear Kyle it seems you have been drinking too much, don't let you cursed jew blood drive you to depression I'm sure there's an operation you can have" Cartman shielded Wendy from view stepping in front of her to face Kyle.

Kyle ignored him. "Do you know what this would do to Stan?" Kyle growled under his breath. "Either of you?"

"Why I imagine it would free him up for you Jewfag".

"Don't be stupid fatass, I know it's hard for you but just try" the anger in Kyle's face seemed to radiate from his cheeks Wendy could feel the heat from four feet away.

She shuffled uncomfortable and unsure what to say. It was embarrassing to admit but she had been rather enjoying the little session with Cartman.

"You know this really isn't any of your business Kyle" she snapped curtly her body slowly returning to normal.

"Maybe not" Kyle turned his glare from Cartman to Wendy. "But it's definitely Stan's, in fact I think the sooner he knows about this the better-"

Wendy looked down at the kitchen top where a bunch of party supplies were laid out and she noticed a heap of string that was usually used to tie up Butters in peculiar positions so that the boys could pour all sorts of stuff over him and take photos. She looked up at Cartman and knew that he was thinking the same thing.

Without so much as a nod Cartman rushed towards Kyle and Wendy grabbed the string.

Kyle's eyes bulged when he realized what was happening.

"What? No! You bastards!" he shrieked.

But although the red head was strong he couldn't outmuscle the huge mass that was Cartman who held him down whilst Wendy quickly tied him up.

Kyle made muffled noises of protest. Wendy knew that she should have felt bad but she couldn't deny the strange burst of power running through her made for a nice rush.

Glad that everyone was either too drunk or too preoccupied with chicken in the lounge room to notice what was going on here the pair of them dragged Kyle down into the basement.

Red's basement wasn't as creepy as Wendy would have liked. In fact it was so obnoxiously bright and clean it was as if it were waiting for a film crew to burst in to make a detergent commercial but it would have to do.

"Thank you Eric you may leave now" She said once Cartman had put a struggling Kyle at Wendy's feet almost like a sacrifice.

"What?" he cried pissed.

"This is between me and Kyle" Wendy said firmly she was not prepared to budge. "Now Cartman!" she yelled when Cartman didn't move.

"Stupid hippie bitch I'll make you pay" Cartman muttered slowly shuffling away. Wendy waited until she was sure he was gone before turning to Kyle who was glaring at her through his bindings.

"I'll cut you a deal" She said folding her arms almost wishing that she smoked so she could light a cigarette like they did in those cop movies. "You don't say anything to Stan I won't say anything to Bebe".

Realizing that he couldn't speak behind his gag Wendy slowly removed it from his mouth. Kyle spluttered.

"You're an absolute bitch" he glared.

"What about it Kyle?" Wendy glared back. "You're the one who is destroying not only my life but my best friend's as well".

Kyle blushed silent for a moment realizing that his secret was out. "He wasn't meant to say anything".

Wendy stood stunned she hadn't expected him to admit it so easily and with such a defeated tone like he couldn't care anymore. She folded her arms. "I'm not going to let you hurt Bebe".

"I'm not, I genuinely do like her-"

"Then why make out with Stan?" Wendy snapped.

"It wasn't making out" Kyle glared furiously going red to the very tips of his fingers. "It was- I'm not sure what it was I don't know how to explain it Wendy, you of all people should know that there's just something about that guy. I'm not gay or anything but we're so close, I guess a lot of people confuse such closeness with romance for a moment I did too but I know now it's not like that. It's just normally a friendship so strong is usually you know" Kyle came to the realization that he was babbling his heart out. "Romantic and shit".

The red head quickly fell silent unable to keep his eyes focused anywhere in particular as if looking for a way out.

"Bebe can't hear about this" Wendy blurted it was all that she could think to say best get the negotiating done whilst the enemy was vulnerable. "And Stan can't know about Cartman either".

"Right" Kyle's normal sarcastic tone was back. "So it's okay for you to practically imprison because you think I'm hurting Bebe but you get to toy with Stan as much as you want".

"Look I'm not toying with Stan he's the one who cheated on me!" Wendy was not prepared to discuss this now she was so sure she had gotten over it too.

"Yeah cheated" Kyle snorted. "He was trying to help some drunk blonde girl find her keys she jumped him you appeared in the worst possible moment".

"That's not true you'll believe anything Stan says" Wendy turned away desperate not to listen she had half a mind to leave Kyle locked in there until somewhere else found him.

"He didn't want to talk to you about it because he knew you get upset about it" Kyle was growing redder and redder by the moment if the situation wasn't so serious it would have been funny. "Goddammit he freaking loves you".

Wendy's heart sank. Now she truly did feel like a bitch. She took a deep breath trying to think of something to explain herself but no words came.

Fortunately there came a loud rapping at the basement's closed door followed by muffled and drunken calls. "What's going on down there?"

"Oh shit" Wendy said hurrying to untie Kyle this plan wasn't going as well as she hoped. He struggled away from her nearly falling over in the process. "Goddamit Kyle stay still".

"Fuck off" Kyle said trying to hop away from her. Wendy used her arms to pin him to the wall even if he was all tied up he was still much stronger than her and managed to move past her. Wendy grabbed hold onto the string so tightly she could feel her cutting through her hands. She managed to untie one of his legs but this was not a good idea. Kyle unable to balance wobbled over and fell on top of her his skinny frame landing on her his bones digging into her.

"Awww Jesus" Wendy sighed trying to push him off her. She had almost succeeded when the basement door swung open and new light flashed from the party upstairs.

Then Wendy realized in horror that it wasn't just light it was a flash of a camera. She craned her neck looking upwards but she needn't have bothered the figure announced herself soon enough.

"Well that will definitely make a nice addition to the facebook album" Heidi smirked stepping down the stairs holding the camera in her hands. "Bebe will think you look so cute with your hair ruffled like that Kyle".

_Thanks everyone for reading you guys are awesome! Sorry this chapter took forever but Kyle is really hard for me to write. All reviews are much loved - Nerdy_


	18. Chapter 18

Bad Romance

Chapter Eighteen

Wendy's first reaction was to grab the dark haired girl and snatch the camera from her and smash it to the ground. Usually she would have acted on this impulse but she knew now that she had to swallow her pride and grovel.

Not that she was going to make it too obvious of course. "Please delete that photo Heidi". Thank goodness she wasn't using her precious iphone. That picture would have been up for everyone to see mere seconds after it had been taken.

"Or what?" Heidi said folding her arms her camera sparkling just out of Wendy's reach.

Wendy sighed. She wished that she had Cartman's manipulative negotiating skills. God that kid could be so damn persuasive when he wanted to be. His face cross her mind for a moment and she smiled then promptly remembered the situation at hand.

"Just freaking delete it okay" Wendy growled shaking thoughts of Cartman from her head.

"Heidi, it's really not what it looks like" Kyle spoke up from his tangled position on the ground.

"Shut up Kyle" Wendy turned her anger to the red head before glaring at Heidi again. "What do you want?"

"Hmmmm" Heidi drawled and Wendy half expected her to begin stroking her chin or something. "What do I want?"

Wendy tried not to freak out as those dangerous words filled the room. Strung together they could cause catastrophe. Heidi was not a girl easily satisfied.

"Stan" Heidi smirked broadly. "The two of you probably know him best you can set us up".

"Stan is not a play toy Heidi" Kyle glowered but the two girls were too busy sparing off to pay any attention to the redhead. Or rather Heidi was gloating and Wendy stood frozen still her mouth gaping open.

No she thought, that bitch couldn't have Stan. Stan was too much a sweetheart and she would just break his heart. He would get too attached to her and suddenly she would get bored of him. Wendy's heart sunk when she realized just how much she cared about that guy. Even though he had hurt her so badly her heart still broke at the thought of anyone hurting him.

"No" was all that came out of her mouth.

"Oh really then I guess that Bebe should take a look at this right now" Heidi said looking through the pictures on her camera.

Wendy gulped. She knew that her best friend should trust her but she just couldn't be sure. She didn't want to take the risk either.

"Heidi wait!" Wendy called out just as Heidi was taking a few pretend steps away from her. "Delete that and I'll help".

Heidi turned her camera around and showed Wendy the picture. It was only a blur of colour from this distance but enough to look as though something suspicious was going on. With a press of a button it had disappeared but Heidi's smirk had grown.

"Now your first task is tell to Stan that you're no longer interested in him" She said gloating.

"Heidi" Wendy didn't like this feeling of being cornered but she didn't know what else to do. No way she was going to set Stan up with that bitch. She could always pretend that she did whilst making her prospects with him even less and less likely. Yes, she grinned, that's what she would do. "Yes okay".

"Now please" Heidi said smiling and suddenly there was a loud knock at the door.

"Are you guys having sex down there?"

"Room for me?"

There was a bunch of giggles as Wendy hurried to untie Kyle who was still frowning at her. "You can't do this you know" he said. "It's not fair to Stan".

"Oh shhh I know what I'm doing" Wendy told him wishing that she truly believed that. She wrestled with the string and only just managed to get it loose before the drunken party guests burst through the door and spilled down the stairs in a large burst of noise.

Wendy pulled Kyle to his feet and smiled broadly as if nothing had happened. One of the new comers to the basement was Bebe who was obvious sloshed. She saw Kyle and smiled at him quickly rushing over to him.

"That's where you are!" She cried throwing her arms around his neck. Kyle who had only just found his feet was nearly knocked off them. She smiled at Wendy. "I was looking for you, you two haven't been making out or anything have you?"

Wendy's stomach lurched. Both she and Kyle launched into awkward jumbled explanations that were quickly drowned out by Bebe's giggles. Wendy slowly moved away.

Heidi was waiting for her and caught her by the arm pulling her close so that she could whisper in her ear. "I didn't just take the one photo there are plenty of others that can go up all around facebook if you don't go speak to Stan and help me get him".

"You are such a cow".

"Whatever, this works out so well for you, I take Stan off your hands and you get to have fatboy all to yourself" she laughed.

Wendy didn't even have an answer for her she just brushed past her furious at everything but especially at herself for being so stupid. She should have just told Kyle that Cartman was trying to assault her and then he couldn't have said anything to Stan and then she wouldn't be doing Heidi's bidding. Ugh! Her fucking life.

She walked back up to the kitchen. There was no way that she was going to talk to Stan now. If anyone asked she would just say that she couldn't find him. She wanted to get home and cursed herself for not driving herself here. With Bebe so drunk she was in fact stranded here unless she could find someone else to drive her home.

Looking around however she soon saw that everyone was about Bebe's level of drunk if not worse. She was stranded here for the night.

Glancing up at the clock she saw that it was nearly two o'clock. Some people were starting to wind down and find places to pass out or rest up for the night. But there was still a lot of drunken conversations, shouting and bad dancing going on as well. She leant up against the kitchen bench for a moment trying to figure out what she wanted to do when the last person she wanted to see appeared at her side.

"Wendy, I feel like I haven't seen you all night!" Stan slung an arm around her his breath reeking of beer. Wendy pushed him back casting a quick eye around to make sure that no one had seen him touch her.

"Well you've seen me now" She said trying to make a move to get away. If Heidi saw them which was very likely considering how close she was she'd ask Wendy why she hadn't officially ended the relationship. Wendy was sort of asking herself the same question she tried to convince herself it was because she didn't want to see Stan end up with someone like Heidi but she wasn't sure.

He looked hurt. His face crumpled up into a little frown and he turned his gaze towards the ground. God he could make her feel so bad so easily.

"That's not what I meant Stan, I'm just tired, I'm going to find somewhere to go crash" Wendy said in attempt to be nicer.

"I'll come with you" Stan said still not getting the hint. The large intoxicated crowd was slowly making it's way upstairs now and Wendy was sure that Heidi would see them any moment.

"It's okay Stan really" Wendy tried but he had somehow had grabbed onto her hands smiling at her. He always got more affectionate when he was drunk. She felt like crying more from frustration than actual sadness as she tried to make him let go.

"Oh guys you want to see the photos from the night? I've got some really good ones!" Heidi called from behind and Wendy cringed knowing what she had to do.

"I just don't think it's working out" she spoke loudly and slowly though the look in Stan's eyes broke her heart. "I'm sorry".

"What? Wendy no wait" Stan tightened his grip on her. "Please, I want to make this work, I love you, I freaking love you".

"Stan you're drunk" Wendy said but she still felt the sting of his words. "I'm going to sleep".

"Actually which one of you guys wants to get me a drink" Heidi said and Wendy thought that she would feel relieved but she just couldn't. She strode off with Stan stumbling behind her. Luckily she had not drank nearly enough as he had and was able to shake him off pretty easily.

She found herself alone in the second story of the house. It had been awhile since she'd come over to Red's. Her academic duties had put too much pressure on her to have much of a social life but she still knew the house fairly well. She knew that most of the guests would have taken the bedrooms and spare rooms but down the end there was a warm study with a comfy couch that would be so perfect to curl up on right now.

Making her way to the end of the hall she noticed that the door was closed. Annoyed she pressed her ear up against the door to make sure that she couldn't hear any obvious making out noises. After a listening for a moment all she could hear was complete silence. So she pushed the door open just slightly so that she could peer in.

She quickly noticed that the room was far from unoccupied. In fact Cartman was there pealing off his tent like shirt revealing surprisingly broad shoulders. Wendy knew that she should have turned away as quickly and quietly as possible so that he couldn't see her.

But then maybe if she was really quiet he wouldn't turn around and notice her. Wendy gritted her teeth suddenly unable to look away. She had expected that someone as big as Cartman would look disgusting with his shirt off but surprisingly he didn't. He was just kind of solid. Wendy let her eyes rake over his body unable to stop herself. She knew that every moment she stayed was dramatically increasing her chances of getting caught but she couldn't help herself.

Her perving session was quickly brought to an end when Cartman turned his head around slightly his previously expressionless eyes suddenly burning up with anger and embarrassment.

"Dude! That is so freaking lame!" He struggled to pull his shirt back over himself but in doing so he had unwittingly given Wendy a good look at his chest. She quickly turned away blushing but she didn't move completely away.

"Get out ho!" Cartman fumed it was the first time in a long time that Wendy had actually seen him flustered. She continued to stare for a moment before realizing what she was doing.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry" she said finally turning away closing the door behind her. Her hand had barely left the handle when she looked up across the hallway and saw Stan stumbling around his back turned to her.

"Wendy! Are you up here?" he was calling drunkenly. He hadn't seen her yet.

"Oh crap" Wendy sighed looking around and realizing that the only escape was back into the little study. Without giving a shit what Cartman would think she swung the door open and stepped back in again.

Cartman hadn't tried to get undressed again but he still glared at her when she entered. Wendy couldn't help but feel a little hurt. She thought he would perhaps be pleased to see her and hey they were all alone up here. Wendy's head was definitely spinning at the possibilities but Cartman seemed to have reverted to his old angry and unsociable self.

"Ho what are you doing?" he hissed and Wendy thought for a moment that he was going to push her right out the door again and into Stan.

"Shut up just pretend I'm not here" Wendy said as she desperately looked around, perhaps she could hide under that coach or something. "What so you can perve on me again? Taking advantage of me corrupting my innocent little soul".

Wendy snorted. "You are the very last person who could be described as innocent and I seriously doubt you have a soul".

"Get the fuck out of here bitch!"

"No! You shut up!" thoughts of relieving their moment in the kitchen were slowly fading from Wendy's head. There was a growing frustration budding in her she could barely control it. She could hear Stan's footsteps getting closer. "Please Cartman I'll do anything".

"Anything hey?" Cartman's composure had all of a sudden returned and he smirked dangerously at Wendy.

"You fucking wish".

"Oh I see you want me to be quiet, well I'm so sorry I have such a LOUD voice Wendy" Cartman said deliberately making his voice as audible as possible.

Wendy could faintly hear Stan's calls for her outside the door as Cartman droaned on. If she could hear Stan's voice then he could definitely hear Wendy's. She was growing more panicked by the second.

"Shut up Cartman" she hissed.

Delight danced in Cartman's eyes. "Oh I'm sorry I didn't realize that this topic was just so interesting-"

Desperately Wendy grabbed onto Cartman's sleeves and glared at him. He looked a little shocked probably because he didn't usually get such a full on reaction. People were afraid to touch him now as if the guy contained a weird electric energy.

She only succeeded stunning him into silence for a moment before he opened his mouth again but before he could say anything Wendy moved in pushing her lips to his in a desperate attempt to shut him up and relieve some of the weird tension in the air.

It worked better that she thought it would when he slowly began to kiss her back but she wouldn't allow herself to loose control, this was just a means of getting Cartman off her back, a defensive strategy almost. Oh who was she kidding she was enjoying herself.

Just as his arms were finding their way around her body there was a rap at the door followed by Stan's shouts of "Wendy? You in here?"

"Oh my god" Wendy hissed she tugged at Cartman urging him to hide behind the couch with her. Still flustered by Wendy's sudden show of passion Cartman only just managed to duck behind the couch as the door slowly creaked open.

"Wendy?" Stan's face appeared dazed and confused at the door. Wendy held her breath she knelt down completely still her knees on the wooden floor with Cartman by her side. She was aware that she had made the situation a lot worse and should have just hidden herself and left Cartman standing there. But she didn't know if he was going to shut up. Besides it was kind of nice to find a reason to be this close to him without him verbally abusing her.

"Are you in here?" Stan took a step in and Cartman smirked. He reached out and starting stroking up and down Wendy's arms hinting that he was going to trace a little further up her neck but always moving his hand away at the last moment. Wendy wanted to slap him away but was scared that it would make too much noise. Stan was just standing there hopeless for what had seemed like forever.

Wendy and even Cartman remained completely still hunched over behind the couch as Stan stood there dumbly the alcohol having clear effects. Against her judgment Wendy reached out and clutched onto Cartman's hand.

Finally Stan seemed to realize that Wendy wasn't going to suddenly appear and turned his back to leave. Wendy held her breath until she finally heard the door close. Cartman burst out into laughter.

"Oh bitch you shouldn't have seen your face!"

Wendy rolled her eyes before leaning up against the couch on folded arms. She felt ashamed of herself for liking such an inconsiderate monster but that didn't change the fact that she still did.

"Whatever" Wendy snorted regaining her composure and standing up. Her arm was quickly grabbed by Cartman his hands firm.

"Wait" he said blushing. "You don't have to go. I'm sorry".

Wendy turned around trying to maintain her outward appearance of anger but the weirdness of the situation was too much. With the tension breaking in the room her face broke out into a smile and soon enough she was giggling along with Cartman without really understanding why.

It didn't take longer before Cartman had kissed her again. This time he was surprisingly gentle to the point of almost being tender. It was obvious that he didn't have much experience kissing girls but it was still enough to make Wendy melt. Any thoughts of Stan quickly disappeared from her head.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N- Hey guys sorry I've been really bad at updating lately. I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things soon. This chapter is a bit of a filler but there should be some more plot coming up in the next few chapters.

Chapter Nineteen

Wendy pushed her hair out of her eyes in the next morning. There was a crick in her neck that told her that she had slept in an awkward position. The morning sun was streaming in through the window lighting up the otherwise dark room. She put her hand on the floor to stretch out before realizing where she was and what was going on. Cartman was sleeping snugly next to her his arm curled around her snoring slightly.

Panic quickly burst in Wendy. Oh no. They couldn't have slept together could they? But no she wasn't drinking that much last night she definitely would have remembered if that was the case. Her stirring had awoken Cartman. The dark haired boy groaned still half asleep. "Come on just five mins".

"Cartman" Wendy said shaking the large boy who was absolutely determined not to wake up. She didn't care he wanted to sleep in she had to know what had happened. "Goddamnit wake up!"

Cartman groaned dramatically as if it was some huge effort just to lift his head off the floor and face her.

"We didn't uh" Wendy blushed suddenly it was too difficult to say especially when he was suddenly staring her like that. Sex was never a topic she'd expected that she'd discuss with Eric Cartman. "Um last night we didn't-"

"No I can't say that I am as much of a slut as you ho" Cartman said. "I went to get some water and I came back and you were asleep, I didn't touch you".

Wendy folded her arms annoyed. "A likely story". Though she had to admit despite her clothes being crinkled and messed up they were still on buttons, zippers and all. Cartman had a pretty strong case.

"Please Wendy you're not that irresistible" Cartman yawning sitting up and stretching.

"What and you are?" Wendy snorted but feelings of relief were slowly sinking in and she had to smile.

"Obviously" he smirked but the nasty edge to his voice had disappeared in fact he was almost being coy. Wendy lent her head against him not caring how much weakness she was showing. It just felt too nice. She was afraid to ask him what was going to happen though. This was about as unconventional as it got. He might have just enjoyed having a bit of fun last night but was probably not serious about seeing her again at least not in this way.

That thought disappeared as he leaned in to kiss her again. Wendy gladly reciprocated slowly closing her eyes as the door burst open.

"Wendy? Oh my god!" Bebe had appeared bringing her usual amount of noise with her. She quickly shielded her eyes. "Why don't you scar me for life already?"

Wendy blushed furiously and Cartman tried to cover himself up there was so much of him though that he had no chance and instead settled for insulting Bebe. "Come on Bebe I'm sure that you've woken up in much worse places".

"Ah no actually I think this tops the list of worst places" She said still shielding her eyes.

"Whore" Cartman muttered grumpily.

"What are you doing here Bebe?" Wendy asked slowly remembering the details of last night and wondering whether Heidi had showed her best friend any of those incriminating pictures.

"Wendy we can't hang around Red's all day her parents are going to back soon" Bebe wined finally gathering up the courage to look at Wendy. "Plus you promised me that we'd go shopping".

How did that girl manage to be so bright and bouncy Wendy wondered to herself. Surely the law of physics should dictate that she have the mother of all hangovers by now. She had all the fucking luck.

"Oh Jesus" Cartman cringed. "Way to live up to stereotypes Bebe".

"I'm not a stereotype" Bebe said flipping her annoyed. "Come on Wendy".

Wendy sighed. She really would have liked to stay there a few more moments with Cartman just for a bit longer but it looked like that opportunity was truly being snapped for her. She held out her arm and Bebe pulled her up.

"She'll see you later" Bebe said smiling at Cartman. "If she hasn't come to her senses first".

Cartman seemed non pulsed by the attack he had simply rolled back over and had appeared to go back to sleep.

"Damnit Bebe" Wendy whispered the moment they had closed the door. "Why couldn't you leave me there for just a little while?"

"Because Stan is looking for you that's why" Bebe said and Wendy's mouth fell open.

"What?" she looked around worried as if he might just appear in front of her. She really had hoped that the desperation of his search might have died down once he had sobered up. Apparently she was mistaken.

"Yeah" Bebe said bluntly. "Look I'm really happy about this but I think we should get out of here. Stan's not being himself he must be still drunk or something".

Wendy cringed she really had hoped that this situation would get easier in the morning. She wished that she could have just been left to enjoy her moment for a little while but she appreciated Bebe's help all the same.

"Okay" she sighed running her fingers through her messy hair. "What do we do? You don't really want to go shopping do you?"

"Well" Bebe thought about it for a moment but Wendy glared at her. That was the last fucking thing that she felt like doing. "Okay perhaps not but it would be best if we left as soon as possible".

"Bebe, who's gonna drive us home? You might be all set to walk home but I'm fucked".

"Wendy" Bebe suddenly spoke in a hushed voice her hands suddenly grabbing onto her best friend. "You didn't sleep with Cartman did you?"

"No! It was just-" Wendy blushed. "It's just weird okay, who's driving us home?"

The two girls continued to walk hurriedly out of the house careful to step over the variety of bodies that still lay sleeping from the night over awaiting vicious hangovers. Before Bebe had a chance to answer the question Wendy looked up and saw Bebe's mother sitting in her chair her hair and makeup all done up.

Wendy shared a quick look with her friend surprised. Bebe just shrugged. Wendy might be the only child in her family but Bebe was the only daughter and Mrs. Stevens continued to dote over her and do whatever she wanted. It did come in handy at times even if it meant that they would have suffer through her taste of music on the way home.

"Darling!" Mrs. Stevens smiled broadly upon sitting her daughter. "And Wendy how are you?"

"Okay mum that's enough" Bebe said embarrassed before sliding into the front seat.

"I'm good thanks Anne" Wendy tried to smile at her. She knew that Bebe's mother would have adopted her if she could. She would have liked another girl to dress up and play with as if she were a collectable doll or something.

"How was the party?"

"Mum okay enough with the questions" Bebe said shortly and Wendy got into the backseat. She couldn't deny that although she was definitely eager to spend more time with Cartman she definitely wanted to get away from that whole place or rather get away from Stan and Heidi. She knew that girl far too well and there was no way that that girl had given up on her yet.

As if to cement her thoughts Wendy's phone beeped with a message. She opened it up without looking at the sender and saw that it was a picture of her and Kyle. _The _picture of her and Kyle and it definitely looked suggestive and could easily be taken out of context. Under the picture Heidi had written _I can send it to you I can send it to anyone. Talk to Stan._

Wendy sighed it was going to be a very long week.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

"Okay so you have got a lot of gossip to share" Bebe said swinging her bedroom door shut behind Wendy when the two of them had gotten back to her house.

Wendy's phone beeped again and Bebe rolled her eyes. "Oh my god! Tell lover boy to leave you alone you're mine to talk to now!"

Wendy's heart sank when she checked the message. "It's not from Cartman".

"Stan then whoever. I don't care who it is just spill".

"Huh?" Wendy said distracted. She hadn't heard a single word that Bebe had just said. Her phone flashed with the message.

_Text Stan now and tell him that you no longer love him. I will evaluate your progress on Monday._

"God your head really is in the clouds. Though I can't exactly see how you can be so infatuated by Cartman I'm happy for you!" Bebe's face stretched into a wide grin the complete opposite of what Wendy felt inside. She smiled meekly back wondering what the fuck she was meant to do.

"So what happens from here? Do you start dating?"

"I don't know what's happening Bebe". Wendy sighed. "He might not ever want to see me again".

"Oh I doubt that" Bebe said confidently folding her arms across her chest. "I saw the way he was clinging to you which is something I will never forget by the way. I need a new pair of eyes".

"Ha" Wendy replied weighing up the decision in her mind. She plonked herself down on Bebe's bed. She was going to either have to hurt Stan or hurt her best friend. She wasn't sure which was the worst outcome and the indecision was making her head hurt.

"Hey you okay?" Bebe asked moving to sit next to her and slip an arm around her best friend. "Cartman didn't do anything to hurt you did he?"

"No" Wendy laughed. "As strange as it is no he was wonderful".

"So who kissed who first?" Bebe asked sensing an opening for gossip.

"He kissed me" Wendy blushed feeling like a thirteen year old with her first crush.

"Oooh" Bebe sat up and clapped her hands. "I knew it! I knew he liked you. I saw the way that he looked at you!"

"Congratulations you get a prize" Wendy said and Bebe looked at her strangely.

"Honey what's up seriously? I thought you would be happy" Bebe said.

"I am happy" Wendy said truthfully. "It's just Heidi's being a real bitch to me again". She could let her best friend know that much at least.

"Wendy she is always a bitch don't let her get to you, what's she trying to get you to do this time?"

"Um" Wendy thought quickly of how to phrase it. "She wants me to set her up with Stan".

"Hasn't she always?" Bebe snorted dismissing the issue.

"Well yeah, but it's getting on way obsessive this time".

"Just ignore her when you move away to your fabulous uni you'll never have to see her again" Bebe said. "Now tell me about what happened with Cartman".

Wendy knew that she couldn't shake her friend's enthusiasm for the topic so she gave her a brief round down of events all whilst playing with her phone. Why was she so intent on keeping Stan away from Heidi? Surely she didn't him anymore. Besides it didn't matter all the help she gave Heidi Stan would never want to go out with some like her. Would he?

"So are you going to call him?" Bebe asked bringing Wendy out of her reverie.

"What?" She asked before the words reached her. "Um it's not like that Wendy I'll see him on Monday".

"I think you should call him" Bebe's grin grew wider and Wendy rolled her eyes.

"You just want to partake in the awkwardness".

"No I just want to make sure things work out for you" Bebe said with a wicked grin. "Okay and it kind of interesting to see you unsure of yourself".

"Thanks for your concern" Wendy said sarcastically and Bebe laughed.

"I'm going to go make us some breakfast, something fatty to observe the alcohol" she said springing off the bed without showing a single sign of a hangover.

Wendy stared at her phone when she left. Perhaps she should call Cartman. That would be much better than calling Stan or Heidi but what she would say. _Hi I'd like to see you again_? He would sent something sarcastic back like _You see me every fucking school day bitch. _ Or something equally inane. Wendy wished that she could read him better. Why did she care so fucking much about him anyway? She was just about to settle down into a self indulgent reverie when her phone beeped again.

_Actually I have a better idea. I think a triple date is in order. You tell Bebe it was your idea and get Kyle to come. I'll get Stan and Cartman to come along. Oh and you can totally pick the restaurant and movie xx_

Wendy nearly threw her phone against the wall as soon as she had finished reading. Goddamn that girl was a bitch! And such a sneaky one too. Not too long that used to be her position in the school hierarchy. What had happened to her? She had to think of something to avoid this and quickly. She couldn't think of anything more awkward than sitting in a room with Cartman, Stan and Heidi for over an hour. There had to be a way out.

"Oh my god what's wrong with you now?" Bebe had momentarily appeared back into the room. Wendy could hear the frying pan sizzling away downstairs.

"Nothing" Wendy said a little too quickly.

"Let's guess Stan found out about you and Cartman" Bebe asked.

"No"

"Cartman doesn't wasn't too see you again?"

"Well he hasn't said but no-"

"Heidi is threatening to tell Stan about you guys-"

"NO!" Wendy shouted. "Bebe can you stop making up problems for me!"

"Okay I'm sorry" Bebe shrugged. "Come downstairs and tell me how much food you want".

Wendy reluctantly got off the bed and trotted downstairs after Bebe thinking how she was going to bring up the idea of the triple date with the blonde.

"Two slices?" Bebe asked turning them over.

"Thanks" Wendy nodded helping herself to some water.

"So seriously what's up?" Bebe asked turning off the frying pan and flipping over the food.

"Heidi just sent me a message she says she wants to go out with you me, Kyle, Stan and Cartman next weekend" Wendy paused waiting for Bebe' s reaction. "I think she wants to make peace"

"Peace?" Bebe putting the bacon and egg sandwiches together. "That girl wants you to embarrass yourself in front of Stan and Cartman!"

"I know" Wendy sighed wishing that that was the whole truth. "But maybe it won't be such a bad idea, I can handle myself besides I do need to let Stan know".

Bebe's mouth fell open. "You can't be serious! Wendy so many things could wrong on so many different levels".

"I know okay, and I'm not going to let Heidi show me up" Wendy said. "Just promise me that you'll come with Kyle if I agree to go".

Bebe looked over her friend strangely. "Wendy what is up? I know you'd never voluntarily spend your time with Heidi unless she had some threat over your head. What's going on? Just ten minutes ago you said she was trying to get you to set her and Stan up"

"Nothing's going on" Wendy lied. "Just please promise me".

"Yeah okay" Bebe shrugged still surveying her friend critically as if she could figure out what was wrong with her just by looking at her. Of course sometimes this technique worked but Wendy was determined to keep her mouth shut.

"Your sandwich is getting cold" Wendy pointed and Bebe quickly took a bite.

"Just" she began softly her mouth half full of food. "You'd let me know if there was something going on right?"

"Yeah of course" Wendy said feeling guilty all over again. She followed suit and took a bite of her sandwich. "Thanks".

"It's cool" Bebe said before turning her attention to her food.

Wendy looked away. She had absolutely no intention of letting Heidi's plans come to fruition she wasn't exactly sure how yet but she was going to put to a stop to it. Just as she reached for her breakfast her phone beeped again. She almost groaned out loud but stopped herself when she realized that Bebe was still watching her intently.

Determined to ignore the message for just a little longer Wendy waited until Bebe had finished eating and gone to wash up before pulling out her phone. Taking a deep breath she checked her phone.

_Hey last night was pretty cool._

Wendy's face broke into a large smile and suddenly Heidi was all but forgotten.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty One

Wendy was nervous to find herself walking down the corridors of the school with Bebe chirruping at her side. How had their break gone so quickly? Wendy was on edge expecting that at any moment Heidi or Stan would suddenly appear around the corner in a very dramatic horror movie kind of way of course.

So far Heidi's notorious triple date only involved four people. It being Wendy's responsibility to ask Stan and Cartman. She had a few days to do it in but somehow she couldn't gather up the nerve. Both of them required such different approaches. Now she had left it until the worst possible time in front of the most possible people.

She was half way to her locker when she heard her name called out.

"Hey Wendy wait up!"

She froze in her steps. Oh god here we go.

"Do you want me to stay?" Bebe asked from beside her. The blond had slowed to a stop with her in support of her best friend. "Pretend that we have to get somewhere really fast?"

"No it's okay, go talk to Kyle" Wendy muttered turning her head slightly to see that the redhead was right by his best friend's side as if she even needed to look.

"You sure?" Bebe asked and Wendy nodded quickly before turning to face Stan who was slightly flushed having picked up his pace to catch her.

"Hey" he said his face breaking into a smile. Wendy smiled back awkwardly her eyes darting everywhere but his face. "Where did you go on Saturday night I looked for you everywhere".

"Oh I just was pretty tired" Wendy answered too quickly. Her heart was thudding with trepidation. How much did Stan remember about that night? He certainly wasn't acting like someone who had been rejected. She really wasn't looking forward to starting this all over again.

"I barely got to see you" his face melting in that pathetic way it did when he was with her. Stan was not a soppy or overly emotionally guy except for some reason when he was around her. That look made Wendy feel awful.

She took a deep breath wondering when to start. "Well you're young and single I'm sure there are plenty of ladies who's company you would enjoy".

Wendy was fighting to keep her voice under control. She was vaguely aware that people had stopped in the midst of their daily routines to watch them as if they could sense the drama unfolding. As always no one had anything better to do in South Park.

"I only want to spend time with you" Stan's replied his puppy eyes getting wider. There were a few audible 'awwws' from gushing girls standing around them.

"Stan" Wendy whispered harshly drawing "Please not right now, not here".

"Wendy I just want to talk please" Stan continued.

"I don't think we have anything to talk about" Wendy turned around and almost walked straight into Heidi who was standing there as if expecting her with her arms crossed and the same smirk on her lips.

"Oh I really think you do" she said.

"Heidi can you stay out of this for a minute?" Stan said his face growing annoyed an expression that everyone else around was far more used to seeing than this pathetic groveling.

For a moment Heidi looked offended but her smile was recovered quickly when she realized the bargaining power she now had.

"Just one second" she said getting out her iphone. "I've just got to send something".

Wendy grabbed Heidi's hand in desperation. The iphone clanged against the floor. There was a gasp from their growing audience. Well that was one way to get rid of the evidence Wendy thought with a smile then realized that Heidi had actually taken the incriminating photo on a camera and doubtlessly had made copies.

"Stan doesn't Heidi look pretty today?" she said out of the blue bending down to pick up the brunette's phone deliberately leaving the pair a moment to stare at one another. Heidi battered her eyelashes whilst Stan looked absolutely clueless. It would have been funny if the consequences weren't so dire.

"You should come hang out with us on Friday" Wendy blurted suddenly. Oh very smooth Testaberger very smooth. Heidi shot her a look but it was nothing compared to how Stan was looking at her.

"What do you want fucking space or not? Goddamnit Wendy you're so confusing!"

"I want space until then" Wendy was continuing to say the first thing that came to her head. She took a step away and Stan grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Please Wendy don't do this I'm fucking sorry okay" his grip went limp when she stared back at him.

"We'll talk on Friday" Wendy said. "Just please give me some space". She gave his hand a squeeze to comfort him and quickly walked away through the staring crowds. Heidi was quick to follow.

"What the hell was that?" She hissed in Wendy's ear. "Could you have fucked it up anymore?"

"I can't make him fall for you Heidi" Wendy said softly.

"Yeah well I can definitely make your best friend loathe you in a matter of mere seconds so if you'd excuse me".

Wendy caught Heidi's arm without looking at her. "Look this isn't going to happen in a few seconds. He has to slowly develop an interest in you and that's not going to happen if he knows that you're blackmailing his best friend. You have to be nice and by the end of the week you'll start looking like a better alternative to me at the dinner you can prove it".

Wendy didn't mean a word of it but Heidi looked impressed enough. "Okay then Testaberger the picture is safe but if you try to sabotage me any further you'll now about it". She swept her dark hair off to the side and strode off leaving Wendy on her own.

"What was all that about?" Bebe asked when Wendy finally met her at the lockers. "Are you and Heidi friends again?"

"Just talking about the dinner" Wendy didn't want to call it a triple date seeing as she was unsure exactly which couple was matched up with whom.

"Oh god you're still going ahead with that?" Bebe asked. "I thought you'd have realized it was a pretty bad idea by now".

"No it will be fine, does that mean you didn't ask Kyle?" Wendy whirled around.

Bebe shrugged. "No it's cool I did just this whole thing is really weird Weds, it's like there's something you're not telling me, some evil plot or something".

"Be when I have kept anything from you?" It burned Wendy's throat to ask but Bebe's face seemed lighter as if she was relieved.

"You mean apart from the whole fat boy fetish?" the blonde asked her eyebrow raised her eyes sparkling.

"It is not a fetish" Wendy hissed at her. "It's just him"

"Whatever" Bebe said closing the door of her locker once she had gathered out all her necessary books. "Have you seen him yet?"

"No" Wendy blushed. She hadn't told Bebe about the text that he had sent her either and the fact that she was still unsure what to reply back to it.

"Oh my god you guys are so unorganized" Bebe sighed exasperated.

"Didn't know that this sort of thing ran by a schedule" Wendy said her eyes narrowing.

"Come on we're going to be late for class" Bebe said telling Wendy that she wanted to put an end to their conversation. That girl never cared if she was late for class.

"Okay".

Cartman wasn't in their first class. Wendy wasn't sure whether she should be glad of this or not. On one hand she was still nervous to speak to him and on the other she really badly wanted to see him. Just a glance from him would be able to tell her whether or not he wanted to continue this relationship like thing.

Stan didn't say a word to her the whole class but he kept looking over his shoulder to stare at her. Kyle by his side kept hitting his arm everytime he did and he would eventually look away but it wouldn't' take him very long to turn back again. Wendy tried to pretend that she didn't notice. What was she going to do when Heidi realized that Stan had no interest in her whatsoever. Hopefully she'd be far far away by that stage.

The rest of her day seemed to lack point. It was odd to be drifting through the halls of the school heading along to classes like before the exams and all the associated drama. It was strange not going to student council or trying to keep the girls planning the prom in check. Wendy felt tired. She watched as everyone slowly settled back into school life but she kept looking over her shoulder trying to find Cartman. It seemed that he hadn't even bothered turning up to school today. She couldn't help feeling disappointed that he wasn't here. God she had even been looking forward to detention just to see him.

Strangely enough it was when Wendy didn't expect Cartman that she first ran into him. Or rather he tripped over her. She was fixing her shoelace in the middle of the hall before going to meet with Bebe in the lunch hall when he ran into her. Everyone else was already there the halls were thankfully empty. Still Cartman hadn't even been looking.

"Oh my god watch it arsehole" Wendy cried before she realized it was him.

"Well way to block the entire corridor you fat bitch" Cartman snapped back. Wendy didn't know whether to feel hurt more at the fact that he had just crash landed into her back or hadn't recognized her.

"Oh it's you" he said when their eyes finally met for a brief second.

"Don't sound too thrilled" Wendy snarled. This wasn't the happy reunion that she was expecting. Not that she really knew what she was expecting just that this wasn't it.

"Oh what should I be Wendy? Happy that you've rejected my messages and calls all weekend!"

"It was one text Cartman" Wendy said feeling a little ashamed now that she hadn't replied. She honestly didn't think that it would bother him. She couldn't picture Cartman as a guy who would wait by his phone constantly checking it to see if a girl he liked replied. Maybe she had misjudged him.

"Yeah well it could have a been few texts maybe even a call to see if you wanted to go do something but I guess you're not that interested".

"No Cartman wait" Wendy said unsure of whether he'd listen to her or not. He stopped just at the last moment and turned back to her.

He stood there for a moment waiting for her to speak. Wendy cast a nervous glance around her sure that was someone was going to walk by at any moment.

She stood on her tiptoes to reach up and kiss him. He was surprised by the move but melted into the kiss soon enough. Wendy closed her eyes feeling a warm rush through her as his arms encircled her waist.

"Why didn't you text back?" he whispered once their kiss was over his eyes still closed. Wendy lent up against his shoulder.

"I didn't know what to say" she said honestly.

"Well that works fucking well doesn't it bitch! Have me agonizing just because you didn't know what to say!" Cartman pushed her away and Wendy stumbling back surprised.

She shoved him back annoyed aware that her small frame wouldn't make the tiniest impact on Cartman. It was like an elephant batting away a fly. "Well what did you want a fucking poem or something?"

"Just a reply would have been nice" Cartman growled and Wendy wished that she didn't have a strong urge to kiss him again. "Why are you even still talking to me?"

"Because" Wendy growled through closed teeth. "I wanted to ask you out to dinner on Friday?"

Cartman stopped. "Dinner?" he asked.

"Yes" Wendy said watching the change in expression over his face.

"Hell yeah".

"God you're strange" Wendy sighed.

A/N- Hey all thanks for reading. Who wants to have bets on what Mysterion's real identity is? I totally hope it's Wendy. If it's just Kenny or someone that would be pretty lame.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty Two

Wendy was nervously fiddling with her hair. No matter what she tried it just didn't seem to work. She was fond of her hair. It's dark silk was one of the few things that she liked about herself physically and something that even Bebe was jealous of but tonight it just wasn't working.

"Just wear it out like you always do it's perfect", Bebe said from beside her applying mascara to her lashes. The blonde could read the worry on her friend's face it was so strong it was almost radiating off her. Bebe understood why her best friend was so uncomfortable. Wendy was out not only to impress Cartman but more so Heidi. It's true what they say Bebe thought to herself girls dress to impress other girls.

"Ugh what am I going to wear?" Wendy had brought a plethora of outfits over to Bebe's house but they were just as impossible as her hair was being. She couldn't believe that she was putting so much effort into her appearance over an evil scheme to get rid of Heidi or at least badly embarrass her.

She had toyed with a few ideas over the past week like trying to get her suspended for cheating on a test, getting her thrown off the school dance committee, slipping green hair dye into her shampoo bottles or sending hitman after her but she didn't really have time for the paperwork. Stupid school.

"Relax" Bebe sighed. "You're in the best hands possible".

Bebe of course had already narrowed down several possible combinations for her best friend and stepped out of Wendy's way so that she could bring them out for her.

Wendy could barely control the fluttering in her stomach. She didn't know how she was going to get through dinner but she supposed Cartman would be there to help her with that. She hadn't spoken with Stan since Monday morning when she'd asked him to leave her alone. Heidi was the one who had to ask him to come and as far as Wendy knew he'd agreed to she was still desperately hoping that he wouldn't show up.

"Wendy it's only freaking Casa Bonita" Bebe tied her hair back. "Chill out".

Wendy sniggered to herself thinking how Cartman would have responded if he had heard Bebe say _only _ Casa Bonita. The fat kid was still enamored with the old Mexican place despite being not so fond of anything else Mexican. Wendy had to admit it was one of the nicer places that they could go to. Better there than fucking Raisins.

Still times had changed since they used to go there as kids. Heidi had made reservations in a private dinning saloon and Wendy was honestly more interested in the special range of tequilas than tacos. She was glad that Bebe was driving them.

"We have fucking hours there's plenty of time" Bebe reassured. Wendy couldn't believe that the girl who started panicking because she only had twelve hours to get ready before last year's school dance was telling her they had plenty of time.

Bebe had selected an emerald green dress. It was halfway between cocktail and casual. Wendy was thinking of wearing a similar colour but she didn't want to be compared to Bebe the girl was just too beautiful.

She looked over the selection of outfits that Bebe had pulled out and threw herself amongst them in frustration. "Ugh! I give up I'm not going" she sulked.

Bebe rolled her eyes. "Come on Weds, this isn't the end of the world. Stop being so dramatic, try some of these on they'll look better on you than on the bed promise".

But it seemed that nothing was going to go right for Wendy that evening from her hair to her outfit things were only going to get worse. Hours later Wendy had finally settled on one of Bebe's shorter skirts and a long sleeved purple top with a low v neck her hair draped around her shoulders.

Bebe checked her watch. "Heidi did say she was coming here right?"

Wendy nodded dully she was over tonight already. She had been excited to dress up for Cartman but the fact that Stan and Heidi were going to be there slightly dampened that excitement. She paused for a moment wondering whether she should arrange their own personal date. The thought didn't last long she knew he would be far too interested in the food to notice her.

"Well she's really fucking late" Bebe replied.

Wendy sighed. She had expected this. Maybe Heidi had was already there and busy spreading rumours about them to the three boys. "Maybe you should call her?"

"Hmmmm" Bebe agreed turning her attention to her phone whilst Wendy slumped on her bed. She was almost just tempted to tell Bebe that she had made out with Kyle just to get out of dinner. But of course she didn't because it wasn't the truth and she wasn't gonna let Heidi pretend that it was.

Bebe looked over at her friend waiting for Heidi to pick up. The blonde had almost put the phone down when Heidi answered.

"Hey Heidi what's going on?" Bebe asked turning away from Wendy who was hoping that the bitch had been caught in an accident somewhere.

"Ohh" Bebe's face fell into worried surprise. Wendy could just make out the sound of Heidi's voice on the other end but couldn't hear what she was saying. She peered closer. "Oh you're already there? See we thought you were coming here".

Wendy frowned. She knew that Heidi knew about the arrangements she just hadn't paid any attention to them so she could spend time with the three boys all on her own.

"Okay well we'll see you soon" Bebe said promptly hanging up.

"Stupid bitch I knew she'd do something like this" Wendy groaned.

"Relax okay, we're ready it's not that far to drive".

Half an hour later they finally turned up at the restaurant.

"Not that far hey?" Wendy muttered to Bebe.

"God you're really pissing me off tonight, we're here aren't we?" Bebe snapped back. The night was not getting any better as it went on.

The two girls strode in to the restaurant in an uneasy silence. The flashing lights and bright colours of the themed restaurant just didn't fit in with the mood. Wendy was glad to by pass all the screaming and squealing kids and head straight to the tequila.

Bebe announced their reservation to a waiter but she hadn't need to. She could have got the best possible table for the night judging by the way he looked at her. Wendy wished her friend wasn't so fucking beautiful she slunk behind her holding her head low.

They found their dining room and pushed the doors open. Looking in Wendy's spirits lifted a little the room was nice. Low candelight and soft music playing in the background. She turned her eyes to the long wooden table in the middle and saw Heidi there making eyes at Stan whilst Kyle sat beside him looking bored.

"Hey" Bebe dashed over to Kyle who greeted her with a hug but Wendy couldn't help noticing that his eyes were still on Stan. She frowned.

Heidi turned towards them. The girl was absolutely dazzling in a tight red dress. She smirked over at the two girls as if she knew just how put off they were. Stan's eyes lit up when he saw Wendy but he quickly shyed away as if he suddenly remembered that they weren't going out anymore.

"Wendy glad you could finally make it", Heidi broke the moment.

"You have chili in your lap" Wendy responded quickly. She didn't of course but with the low light coupled with her dress it was hard to tell and it didn't hurt to throw her off guard.

Heidi glared back and Wendy was already begging for the night to be over. She turned her head wanting to ask where Cartman was but not having the nerve too.

"Where's Eric?" Bebe asked as if reading her mind. God she loved that girl sometimes.

Heidi rolled her eyes. "He got all excited about some fucking divers or some shit".

Stan and Kyle swapped a look both of them finding it difficult to contain their laughter. Wendy knew that an inappropriate joke had passed between them without them even having to verbalize it. Bebe looked on from Kyle's arm confused.

Stan got up from his seat next to Kyle to walk over to Wendy. The dark haired girl tried not to freak out she was all to aware that Heidi was watching her every move and the treacherous iphone was right by her side.

"Can I get you a drink?" Stan asked suddenly the chivalrous well meaning gentleman. "Me and Kyle are going to get another round".

"Yeah okay a margarita would be nice" Wendy agreed trying to look away from Heidi's watchful eyes.

Stan nodded before walking away with Kyle leaving Heidi to face of with Wendy and Bebe.

Heidi was about to open her mouth when the door suddenly burst open again and Cartman came raging through.

"Damn hippie rip offs!" he shouted charging into the room with the sort of energy that only he could muster. He looked set to launch into further complaint when he turned and saw that Wendy had arrived. His eyes quickly skimmed her up and down and he forget what he was saying.

Wendy eyes flickered back at him. He really had made an effort. He was wearing a new black shirt and jeans. His hair fell sexily into his eyes Wendy felt a strange compulsion to run her hands through it.

"Hello Eric" Bebe said folding her arms next to her best friend and looking on with amusement.

"Why good evening Bebe", Cartman suddenly put on his composure. "You are looking especially lovely".

Wendy's stomach turned a little she was uncomfortable with the attention that Bebe was getting ands he was curious how Cartman was going to greet her. It wasn't like they were an official couple or anything, Wendy didn't even know if he wanted to be. Whatever the case it was probably not the best strategy to announce it then and there right in front of Stan.

The room returned to it's awkward silence and Wendy could feel both Bebe's and Heidi's glittering eyes upon them. She shuffled awkwardly. Damn she wished she had something in common with the guy, a nice little icebreaker to start off conversation but they were as far apart as could be.

Wendy desperately wished that they were alone but even that would be too awkward.

Carmtan walked over to her closing the pair of them from the girls. Wendy knew that if they weren't in such an enclosed space the two of them would have started giggling and gossiping on the spot.

Wendy tried to remain calm even if it felt like some racing car driver had just hijacked her heart rate and was pushing it to overdrive.

"Hey" Carmtan said his deep voice stroking her ears.

"Hey" was all Wendy could manage to say back. God she really wished that they were alone.

The silence was stretching like an elastic band any moment it was going to snap back in their faces.

"So when is the goddamn food coming already!" Cartman turned away from Wendy who didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

"Soon Eric, mean time me and Heidi are just going to get some drinks aren't we Heidi?", Bebe tugged forcefully on Heidi's arm. The brunette looked like she want to stay and make every more uncomfortable but she realized that she didn't have a choice.

Wendy looked up at Carman and quickly realized that things wouldn't get any less awkward when they were left alone.

"I do know understand how you can stand hanging out with her" Cartman and snorted and suddenly they had their icebreaker. The mood relaxed.

Wendy laughed. "Yeah she's a conniving little bitch she even makes you look like an angel".

"But I am an angel Wendy" Cartman said.

"Yeah whatever but if you can piss her off tonight I would be very grateful".

"Can I piss off Stan and Kyle too?"

"You hardly need my permission for that but focus your efforts on Heid".

"If you want me to get rid of her I can" Carman shrugged nonchalantly.

"Hmmm" Wendy said stepping closer to him. "Well what are your methods?"

"Let's see" Cartman said rubbing his chin. "Well there's always the option of slipping laxatives into her drink or we could tie her to a chair and shove her off with the divers".

"Ooh I like that one!" Wendy said coyly as Cartman continued to move closer to her.

"Really?" He asked raising an eyebrow. "What else do you like?"

His arms had suddenly found their way around her waist she leaned into his chest totally engulfed in his smell.

"I've still got your jacket you know" she blurted.

Cartman didn't reply he titled her chin up to his face and was leaning down to kiss her.

"That barman fucking sucks!"

Wendy and Cartman sprung apart as Stan and Kyle entered the room.

Another kind of weird silence suddenly surrounded them. Wendy couldn't be sure if they'd been caught or not but there were definitely suspicious looks in both Stan and Kyle's faces.

"Have fun perving on your divers?" Kyle asked.

"I'm not a fucking homo like you jewfag!" Cartman retorted.

"Yeah well you're not fucking coz you can't get any action but you're still a homo, homo" Kyle replied folding his arms.

Stan crept up behind Wendy and handed her her drink as Kyle and Cartman dissolved into the same fight they'd been having since elementary school.

"Um Wendy" Stan said taking advantage of Kyle and Cartman's distraction. "Is it okay if I talk to you outside for a moment?" 


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty Three

A cool shiver went up Wendy's arms as she stepped outside with Stan. The dark haired pair walked out together and it wasn't until they had walked into the small patch of trees down the back of the carpark that Stan finally spoke.

"You look very pretty", he blurted and then blushed suddenly reverting to shyness.

"Thank you" Wendy wondered if he was going to continue to make small talk like this or whether he'd quickly get to his point. Somehow she wasn't holding out much hope.

"It was a good idea to do this just our small group" Stan kicked at the ground unable to make eye contact. "Even if you had to bring Cartman along".

Wendy froze. "What about Heidi?"

"Guess they're just as bad as each other", Stan laughed. "Let's hope they don't get married".

Wendy hoped that Stan didn't see her blush. Was he baiting her? Or did he truly not notice? It was only a matter of time before he figured things out.

"No I really hope they don't get married" Wendy blurted out meaning it in a totally different way from what Stan did.

There was silence between them for a moment Stan's face was illuminated under the lights of the carpark but Wendy's was hidden in the darkness. The wind continued to ripple through the trees but Wendy didn't mind it's coolness.

"You know I really can't wait until this year is over" Stan said more casually, acting like the Stan that Wendy used to hang around with. "Just get school done with head of to college do the things I want to do".

Wendy nodded. She felt the same way and Stan knew that she felt the same way. They hadn't changed that much.

"But it's still going to be a huge change we won't be seeing everyone nearly as often" Stan continued.

"That could be a good thing right?" Wendy asked. "And you'll still see the people that you want to see like Kyle and Kenny and everyone yeah?"

"I guess so" Stan leant up against a tree and somehow managed to look square into Wendy's eyes. She was startled by their bright blue that she had always loved. His eyes were so different from Cartman's dark ones.

"Don't stress Stan" Wendy said surprised that he was. That was usually something left for his best buddy to do. "We'll get there".

Stan nodded. There was silence between them for a moment but it was thankfully much more comfortable. The kind of silence they used to sit in together when they just hung out doing their separate things. Not talking much but just glad to have each other there.

"Remember how we used to talk about how we would go to college together. Sneak across campus at night to meet up, walk to classes-"

"Stan please don't" Wendy said wishing that he had never said anything at all. She raised her hand to stroke a strand of hair behind her ear but Stan's hand caught hers.

"Wendy please" Stan said stepping closer to her. "It doesn't have to be something that we just talked about".

Wendy held her breath staring at him. In the soft light he looked absolutely gorgeous. She caught herself and shook her head.

"Stan I-"

"Please Wendy" Stan said softly reaching out to stroke her hair. "We don't have to talk about it now just promise me you will still think about it".

What was she meant to do? Tell him now that she had been making out at random intervals with one of his closest friends? Yeah, that would go down well.

"Stan you-" Wendy wanted to tell him that she was angry with him that she was upset with him but somehow the words got caught in her throat and instead she let herself fall into his arms.

"Great way to keep up your side of the bargain Wendy".

Wendy whirled around springing away from Stan in almost the same moment and nearly twisting both her ankles in the process. Under the lights of the Casa Bonita car park stood Heidi devastatingly glamourous in her red dress her arms folded. She was so beautiful it was as if she was something out of a movie. Wendy couldn't tell if the expression on her face was one of triumph or despair but it didn't matter her reaction would be the same and there was no way that Wendy could catch her when she was wearing heals this high.

"Heidi!" Wendy would try her best anyway wobbling after her as fast as she possibly could. "Wait it's not what you think!"

Stan looked quizzically at the pair of rushing girls clueless as to what was going on as the two girls both took off back in the direction of Casa Bonita.

Dashing through the cosy couples, the kids' parties Wendy tried to keep up with the dark haired girl who was faster than anyone should have been in such high heels. She pushed past a waiter nearly causing him to drop the four deserts that he was carrying.

"Hey you stupid kids! Stop!" He reached out and grabbed Wendy by her arm giving Heidi the break that she needed to get away.

"Get off me!" Wendy shook the waiter off but she knew that it would be too late. The girl was just too goddamn fast.

She finally got to their room to see Heidi triumphantly holding out her phone to a curious Bebe and a horrified Kyle. Wendy watched as Bebe's face crumpled from a sweet curiosity to a horrible disbelief. Wendy felt her heartbreak and from then on the atmosphere slowly descended into madness.

"What the fuck is this?" Bebe cried swinging an arm out at Kyle but she was really glaring at Wendy. Heidi stood back with her arms folded triumphantly. "What the fuck is this? Wendy!" Tears began to fall from Bebe's face she was so upset she couldn't form full sentences. "Kyle!"

Cartman peered over at the phone and his face showed a similar amount of hurt as Bebe's but interestingly he didn't make a smart arsed remark about it Wendy almost wished that he had.

"Bebe I can explain it's not what you-" Wendy rushed forward hurriedly trying to go straight into damage control but Bebe was having none of it.

"Oh it's not what I think! What else it was it Wendy were you and Kyle rehearsing a play. God I can't believe you were making out behind my back! Poor Cartman!"

"Poor Cartman!" Stan cried out arriving behind Wendy. "Wendy what the hell is this?"

"Oh come on Stan you're not that blind, Wendy's been making sweet sweet love to Cartman for months now" Heidi was reveling in the chaos that she had created.

"What the fuck! You'd sleep with this arsehole but not with me!" Stan turned on Wendy who felt as though she was trapped and the wall were slowly closing in all around her she was about to explode.

"Aye!" Cartman snapped.

"Aww coming from the guy who likes to fuck his best friend in his spare time" Wendy clasped her hands to her mouth as soon as the words had left them as if desperately hoping to prevent them from reaching anyone else but it was too late.

"Dude" Kyle quivered all the colour draining from his face. Bebe and Heidi stared back and forth from the two boys in opened mouthed shock.

"I knew it! I knew you were screwing" Cartman cried out.

"What! No we're not screwing" Kyle said flying into a panic. "Bebe I'm not like that, I'm not-"

"Get the fuck away from me!" Bebe said shaking off Kyle. "I never want to see any of you ever again!"

She stormed out and Wendy tried to run after her.

"Bebe wait!" Wendy grabbed hold of her arm. "I swear, you know I'm not interested in Kyle and I would never do anything like that to you ever!"

It was an absolute flurry of madness as Bebe shook Wendy from her the pair both dissolving into ugly pathetic tears. Wendy's insides felt as they were burning up with in her. She began to shake it was bad enough that now Cartman and Stan despised her but to have upset Bebe so much she wasn't sure if she could ever get over that.

"Well this has been fun" Heidi said twirling her hair around her finger obviously there wasn't a fat fluffy cat for her to stroke lying around. "But I think I'll have to leave you guys to it, have a good weekend". She slowly slipped around the room but no one it was paying any attention to her anymore.

Stan and Cartman stared awe struck at Wendy she didn't know whose eyes she was trying to avoid the most.

"Screw you guys I'm going home" Wendy wasn't sure she had ever seen so much hurt in the fat kid's eyes. It wasn't something that she thought he was capable of and yet there it was and she was the sole cause.

"Cartman" she whispered.

"I think that sounds like a good idea" Stan said. "You coming Kyle?"

Wendy gaped. "So what are you guys just going to leave me here!" Wendy cried. Bebe had been her ride and it was pretty obvious that she wasn't coming back. She was stranded.

None of the three boys paid her any acknowledgement instead they just gathered up their stuff in silence. Wendy felt like screaming.

"Fine fuck the lot of you!" Wendy said.

There was still no reply as the three of them slowly left together leaving Wendy all by herself with no way to get home.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty Four

Wendy slumped against the wall of the fancy dinning room in the outfit that she had spent hours agonizing over with her head in her hands. The half finished glasses of the expensive cocktails still sat perched on the table as if their owners were going to come casually back and finish them.

They didn't of course and Wendy was left all alone to herself trying to figure how she was going to get back home. It was late her parents wouldn't appreciate picking her up at this hour and they'd ask a million awkward questions about why Bebe couldn't take her home. Thinking about Bebe's face was enough to bring on a fresh batch of tears. Wendy had gone to such great lengths not to hurt her and she'd got hurt anyway. She had no idea what she was going to do now.

There was a tap on the door and Wendy pulled herself up to her feet. She had no idea how she had suddenly found the strength to do this. Maybe it was the hope that one of them had returned to forgive her even if it was only Kyle. She would have taken comfort from anyone at this point in time.

But it wasn't even Kyle it was just one of the waiters peering curiously around the corner.

"Are you all right miss?" he asked.

Wendy wiped her eyes and tried to regain control of her shaking voice. "Yes, yes I'm fine".

"Well good" the waiter put on a big smile he doubtlessly used on all of his customers. "I'll just leave the cheque on the table".

Wendy's mouth fell open. _Cheque! _Holly fuck. Her fingers were trembling as she pulled it out of the black leather pouch to check the amount. She shook with fury when she realized that Heidi had conveniently forgotten to pay for the booking fee or in fact anything else. The four hundred dollar sum smacked Wendy in the face. She didn't have the kind of money! There was maybe thirty or forty bucks in her purse tops.

"Um I'll just wait until my friends get back," Wendy said with a fake smile and the waiter nodded and left.

As soon as she was sure that he was really gone Wendy gathered up her things and left. At the moment she really didn't' care if she was blacklisted at Casa Bonita. Hands shaking with rage she confronted the other problem. She had no idea of how she was going to get home. It was getting to the point where she would have to call her parents and get them to pick her up.

Trying not to scream Wendy reached out for her phone and searched through the contacts trying to find a suitable candidate to take her home. Too bad that they had all just practically left. Slumping against the wall she knew she had to get away fast before the waiters came out and hassled her for the money. She could be doing dishes for the rest of her life if she couldn't think a way out of this soon.

Looking around wildly as if expecting to just see a solution if she looked hard enough Wendy began to panic. Surely the staff would soon realize that they had all done a runner and would come looking.

"Why he-he-he llo W-w-w-endy!"

Wendy whirled around to see Jimmy Palmer standing there behind her propped up on his crutches. The class comedian had grown to be quite tall and somewhat attractive in the last couple of years but his stutter still remained. He was wearing a nice suit which looked out of place but suggested the night was important to him for whatever reason.

"Oh hey Jimmy" Wendy said trying to smile at him. "How are you?"

"N-n-not so good W-w-wendy actually" Jimmy sighed. "Not so good at all".

"I'm sorry to hear that" Wendy tried to look sympathetic but she was willing to bet that no matter how bad Jimmy's night had been that hers could definitely top it.

"Y-yeah I wa-wa-was meant to see this girl that I liked but she di-di-ditched me at the last moment" Jimmy sighed.

"That's awful" Wendy sighed then she realized that Jimmy must be stranded here too. Maybe his parents were coming to pick him up and she could hitch a ride home. "Hey so you're stuck here huh?"

"N-n-no I drove" Jimmy said flippantly and Wendy stared wondering how it was possible for Jimmy to drive. The dark haired boy caught the expression on her face. "You see my arms are actually quite str-stra strong! I have levers on the steering wheel that replace the clutch, break and accelerator. I'm a-a-actually a pretty good dra-driver!"

"Jimmy", Wendy knew it was time to surrender all her dignity at the moment and just beg. "Could I please have a lift home?"

"Uh sure Wendy" Jimmy looked a little surprised by her request but hardly off put. He had always been one of the nicest more mature boys at South Park not that that was a difficult contest of course. "Fa-follow me".

"Thank you Jimmy" Wendy said gratefully following him. "I'll get you some petrol money".

"Don't worry about it" Jimmy smiled. Unlocking a shinning blue car with a click of a button. Wendy was surprised to see that it didn't look any different from a regular car. "It w-w-will be good to have some co-company".

Wendy nodded trying to smile though she wasn't sure if she agreed with him or not. She slid into the front seat of the car surprised to find it reasonably clean for a teenage boy. Jimmy got in next to her and handed over his crutches.

"C-c-could you hold these?" He asked and Wendy nodded taking them and rearranging them against the side of the car as Jimmy began explaining how the pedals were turned into levers and how he had learnt to drive. Wendy knew that she was being incredibly rude in not paying attention but she couldn't help it. She still felt like crying.

Eventually Jimmy must have noticed this too he pulled out of the parking lot and turned towards her. "Wh-wh-what's wrong Wendy?"

The former school president took a deep breath. She barely talked about the problems with her love life with Bebe but Jimmy? That was a bit odd. The pair of them had certainly never been close. Stan and his friends hung out with Jimmy sometimes but it was not a regular thing.

"Just tonight didn't go as well as I'd hoped" that sure was a fucking understatement.

"Wh-wh-what we're you hoping for?" Jimmy asked staring at her for a moment before turning his attention back to the road.

The question was so direct that it caught Wendy off guard. What had she hoped for? "For the guy I like to ask me out I guess".

"W-w-well maybe tonight wasn't the right t-t-time for it. I-i-it could still happen lat-te-te-ter" Jimmy smiled.

"No I really screwed up tonight, he thinks that I'm still in love with my ex and that I'm just using him to make the other guy jealous" Wendy had no idea why she was being this frank but it kinda felt good to have someone to talk to.

"Ohh" Jimmy nodded. "B-b-but you're n-n-not are you?"

"No I'm not" Wendy turend her head out the window watching the trees pass by. "It just really looks like I am I mean I don't want to hurt either of their feelings and now I've ended up hurting both".

"Y-y-you've just got to work out w-w-what you want and b-be honest about it" Jimmy said. "To them and to yourself".

Wendy nodded. "That really good advice Jimmy, but it easier said than done. I mean I really, really liked this guy".

"W-w-well then tell him".

"But I'm pretty sure he hates me and I don't know if he's serious, I think he just likes fucking with my head".

"Then maybe he isn't r-r-right for you" Jimmy said his eyes straight ahead on the road.

"Yeah" Wendy sighed slumping against the window. "So what happened with your night?" Jimmy's eyes flickered towards Wendy for a moment and she regretted asking the question. She cleared her throat nervously.

"You don't have to answer that if you don't want" she said quickly.

"N-no it's okay" Jimmy said he began to stutter more the more he told the story. "I-I-I've really la-la-liked this girl for a while and i-i-I asked her o-o-out on Friday. S-s-she picked o-o-out the restaurant and I dr-dr-drove. I-i-I thought it was going real-real-really well but a-a-about ha-ha-half an hour into our meal s-s-s-she left, s-s-said she h-h-had somewhere else to go".

"What a bitch" Wendy said upset that anyone could have just stood Jimmy up like that. He had obviously made a big effort and Wendy would bet that he would have paid for everything too.

"Y-y-yes quite a bitch but I still like her" Jimmy said turning off the highway into South Park. He was right. He was a good driver.

"But if she treats you like that I don't think she's worth your time, seriously Jimmy you deserve so much better" Wendy said still staring out the window.

"I-i-I guess but I can't help it, and she's in my c-c-class first thing M-Monday morning. I-I-I won't be able to av-avoid her".

"That sucks", Wendy agreed. "But you're better than that just try not to show that she's got to you and you don't' have to speak to her if you don't want to".

Jimmy nodded. "Your p-p-place's the next turn off right?"

"Yep" Wend said surprised how fast the drive had gone. The two of them sat in silence as Jimmy continued driving down Wendy's road.

"I-I-I just d-d-don't know what to say to Heidi", Jimmy said pulling up at Wendy's drive. Even though he was such a smooth driver Wendy felt herself lurch forward.

"Heidi?" She asked astonished. "Heidi Turner?"

"Y-y-yes" Jimmy said sadly. "I-I-I always liked her".

Wendy was sure her head was going to explode. That fucking bitch! She pretended to like Jimmy just to get a ride to Casa Bonita leaving Bebe and Wendy behind only to ditch Jimmy to go to Stan and Kyle. Fucking Tart?

"Thank you for the ride Jimmy, I'll see you at school" Wendy said opening the door trying to keep her anger in check.

"You're we-we-welcome Wendy, hope things wo-wo-work out" Jimmy said.

"Oh they will". Wendy said closing the door. The game was on now. She would get back at Heidi Turner whatever it took.

A/N- Merry Christmas and thanks for reading/reviewing :D


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty Five

Before Wendy could plan the annihilation of Heidi she had to sort things out with the person she cared about most. As soon as she had made her way up to her room she reached for her phone which was depressingly free of missed calls or messages and she called her best friend. She knew that Bebe would have been home by now perhaps she had even settled down a little. Wendy pressed the phone up to her ear and listened to it ring out.

Flinging herself down on the bed she wondered if she should just keep trying. Bebe wasn't the type to turn her phone off or even put it on silent. If Wendy just kept calling her then she would have to pick up eventually. Looking around her room she saw in surprise that Cartman's jacket was still hanging on her door. Guess she was hanging onto that now.

She got up off the bed and pulled the coat down. Cartman's intoxicating smell had more or less left it but it was comforting to have it around her shoulders all the same. She returned to her bed and tried calling Bebe again.

She listened to the phone ring imagining Bebe on the other side of town watching her phone deciding whether or not to answer it. Wendy bit her lip hoping desperately that she'd get a chance to talk to her friend and explain what she should have done before they got into this mess. Cartman's jacket felt nice against her bare skin and it quickly warmed her up as if he were hugging her himself.

"I'm not talking to you" Bebe's voice suddenly snapped in Wendy's phone and Wendy's face broke into a smile of relief. Despite her best friend's childish answer the girl in fact was talking to her.

"Fine, don't talk to me but let me to talk to you", Wendy began. The pair of them had fights before, fights bigger than this and they had always come through them. "I'm sorry Be I am, but you have to know that Heidi set the whole thing up".

"Right? And you and Kyle just conveniently posed in bondage style for her camera. Why the fuck were you even alone with him like that?".

Wendy sighed but at least Bebe was talking to her. That was more that she could have hoped for at the moment. "Me and Cartman were blackmailing him" she said. "He had seen us kissing and I wasn't ready for Stan to know".

"Yeah well it's too bad for that now. God I'm so pissed! I'm not sure whether to be more pissed at you or more pissed at Kyle!"

"Be pissed at whoever you want just promise we'll still be friends" Wendy said she could feel the tears coming on again.

But it was Bebe who bet her to the waterworks Wendy heard her voice crack over the phone. "Why doesn't he like me Wendy? What did I do wrong? I thought we had a really good shot" she burst out. The blonde girl was so upset now that she didn't care that she was meant to be mad with Wendy. Deep in her heart she knew the girl wouldn't' do anything to hurt her.

"Bebe it's nobody's fault", Wendy tried to soothe her best friend. Glad that they were at least talking again. "Do you want me to come over we can talk about it properly?"

"I don't know if I want to see you just now", Bebe told her and her words stung "I'm still mad at you Wendy, we're best friends, you're meant to tell me shit like this. Why the fuck didn't you?"

"I didn't want to hurt you", Wendy sighed. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone".

"Yeah okay, I'm gonna hang up now before I get too angry to control what I'm saying", Bebe said and before Wendy could say anything the girl on the other end of the line promptly hung up.

8

Wendy did not sleep well that night. She tossed and turned in her bed her head mixed up with thoughts of what would happen tomorrow, strange scenarios ran through her mind all more awful than the one before. She had to think of what to do with Heidi. The more publically humiliating the better and she had to make it seem like it was all Heidi's doing so the blame couldn't be traced.

Thoughts of dodgy diet pills, lurid hair dye and thumb tacts on chairs weren't going to cut it. But going to the mercenaries was just too extreme. She needed to do what Heidi had done to her only in front of more people and in a way that would get her into more trouble.

8

Come Monday morning there were large bags under Wendy's eyes and frustration still on her mind. She didn't want to look so haggard and run down first day back facing everyone but she really didn't have a choice. Her alarm for school hadn't gone off on time and she was running desperately late. Shoving random books in her bag hoping that they would be the right ones.

Looking over at her clock it had just ticked over to quarter past nine. She was going to miss the better part of first period. But she knew she had to rock up if she didn't then everyone would call her a chicken.

Pulling her bag over her shoulder she set off her head still buzzing with the possibilities of what to do with Heidi. Racing along the freezing streets of South Park she went through the possibilities and grew frustrated with her limitations.

Finally getting into school the corridors were quiet except for the occasional stragglers and drop outs who were still loitering along. Some of them looked up at Wendy but only for a moment, Wendy doubted that they'd know or even care about what happened on the weekend so she didn't pay them much attention.

She was opening up her locker when a hulking mass caught her eye. She turned around and caught sight of the figure properly. It was Cartman shuffling along the corridor his eyes staring through blankly as if he was in another world. Either he hadn't seen her or he was pretending to ignore her. She bit her lip for a moment trying to figure out whether she should call out to him or not. Just as he had almost passed her she just cried out.

"So you're fucking using the silent treatment on me now are you?" They weren't the wisest choice of words and definitely not the ones that Wendy had been planning to get him back on her side.

Cartman whirled around. "Silent treatment doesn't work on bitches who don't fucking shut up".

"Oh so we're back here are we?" Wendy spat her pent up aggression suddenly finding an outlet.

"Where exactly where were we meant to be going?" Cartman glared back at her his voice a terrifying hiss. He put himself right up in her face and Wendy couldn't decide whether she wanted to punch him or kiss him. "Or am I just the stop over until you work things out with football fag".

"Don't talk about Stan like that" Wendy hissed suddenly her books had fallen from her arms and she had shoved Cartman away from her.

"You mean the same Stan who's been wearing you as fucking beard for the last eleven years!" Cartman's voice was louder now and Wendy grabbed onto him fiercely as he tried to steady her. They were starting to draw attention now and Wendy realized that she couldn't continue yelling and fighting but she still wanted to get point across. She looked around and then dragged him into a spare room across from her locker.

"What the fuck are you saying?" Wendy snarled. "Stan's not like that".

"Whatever hippie", Cartman said folding his arms looking smug. "All I know is whether he's screwing Jew boy or not he's still more into him than he is you".

"Shut up!" Wendy snarled unleashing a fresh attack upon Cartman. She was too angry to answer anymore intelligently.

Cartman held her steady with so much ease it was almost as if Wendy's attack had bored him. She half expected him to yawn. She struggled against him and he had to use a bit more force.

"Why are you so fucking jealous of Stan?" Wendy asked hoping to throw him off guard. "He's all you fucking talk about!"

"I would have thought that was obvious ho" Cartman's reaction surprised her. His voice had gone tender all of a sudden and he let go of her only to stroke her hair. His touch surprisingly similar to Stan's though his hands were warmer and of course larger. She was suddenly aware of how alone they were and the possibilities of the empty room around them. There was so much potential for this room to be used for ahem _other_ purposes.

Wendy wished that she didn't go quite she wished she could say that she fought him off but she didn't. She went dead still - enjoying this kind of touch.

"Cartman" Wendy somehow was able to breath. She wanted to explain herself. She wanted to set things right. "I- "

Cartman didn't her finish instead he pulled her into an aggressive kiss. Wendy struggled for a moment before letting herself give in. She melted against his lips that were surprisingly warm and sweet. She felt his hands at the small of her waist sliding underneath her thick jumper her skin tingled at his touch. His fingers went under the bottom of her shirt tracing the warm skin. They continue to massage her further and further down until Wendy let out a small gasp. She could feel his hot breath panting against her neck as he began to kiss her jaw. He had gotten a lot better at this than the last time they were at. With the desire building at a tremendous rate Wendy almost couldn't take it. The world around her seemed to disappear until she realized what she was doing and she pushed him away.

"Don't you dare think you can-" she began but Cartman quickly covered her mouth with hand.

"Shut the fuck up ho". It was odd. Somehow those words coming out of his mouth were affectionate. "Come here".

Wendy was ashamed of the lack of resistance she showed. In fact she all but collided with Cartman in her enthusiasm as he bent down to kiss her again. Their heads smacked against one another and Wendy fell back from the pain.

The pair rubbed their heads embarrassed muttering apologies.

"We really need to get to class" Wendy said. It was quarter to ten now and soon enough there would be questions.

Cartman rolled his eyes. "Do you have to be such a pussy?"

"Don't talk to me like that", Wendy glared at him and for a moment they were enemies again. "Besides I have very big plans today involving a Miss. Heidi Turner".

Cartman's eyes lit up as if excited by the prospect. "So what have you got planned?"

Wendy smirked knowingly. "That would spoil the surprise", she smiled letting him pull her close once more.

A/N- Thanks everyone for reading/reviewing. You guys seriously make me so happy! Much love to you all :D


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty Six

Heidi Turner was a good student. She wasn't a great student but she was always consistently towards the top of her class. Studying wasn't her main priority in life so she didn't pose any threat to the class valedictorian or anything but she generally did well. Heidi's best subject was chemistry. She enjoyed the experiments, the theories and how different substance matters could react so differently if the conditions were altered just that little bit.

Being such a good student Heidi should have noticed that the conditions for her forth period practical had been altered _just _that little bit. Or rather the equipment had been. It wasn't her fault really because the simple innocent ingredient bore a striking resemblance to a more reactive substance.

Wendy shuffled back on her high wooden chair trying to pay attention to Mr. Mullen ,who resembled more an exotic looking plant than any kind of teacher, but she couldn't. Her eyes were focused on Heidi and her lab partner, Red, as they gathered together the ingredients for their prac. Wendy was sure that she didn't breathe the whole time. She was scared that at any moment her scheme would be discovered.

Heidi was definitely aware of her watching eyes, she kept turning back over her shoulder and smiling triumphantly. It would only make Wendy's success more sweet. She did her best to look unhappy so that Heidi would gloat more.

There were another pair of eyes on Wendy too. Eyes that she was having an even harder time avoiding. Stan sat up the front row and was constantly twisting his neck to look back at her. Kenny sat beside him patting his back and trying to get him to turn around. Stan was not having a good day, it hadn't taken long for the gay rumours to circulate around the school. Wendy wasn't sure who had circulated them but she wouldn't be surprised if it was Heidi herself, or of course Cartman, even money there. Stan was doing the best he could to shake them off but Kenny was the only one who would sit with him.

Even Kyle sat up at the back by himself not saying a word to anyone. Butters, in particular was having a fun time picking shit at him, the blond glad not to be on the bottom rung of the social ladder for the moment. Kyle let it all brush off him with a stoic sort of maturity uncommon in most of the South Park boys. Well at least he tried to, Wendy could see that he was bothered and was almost glad for his sake that Cartman wasn't in this class.

Wendy herself was left to sit with Tammy, not her first choice of lab partner, the girl after all had been kept down twice now, but she didn't exactly have an abundance of offers from other girls. Bebe was still not talking to her and instead elected to spend her time flirting amongst the boys in their class, all of whom were happy to have her back on the market.

Wendy watched her sadly. She knew that Bebe was putting on the display in hope of making Kyle jealous but she had no hope of that. Kyle's eyes were too securely fastened to the back of Stan's head, which kept twisting around in hopes of catching Wendy's eyes, which of course were too busy glaring at Heidi.

It was a mess.

"So who wants to be my partner?" Bebe asked fluttering her eyeslashes. "For the science prac of course?"

She almost created a storm as several boys rushed to offer their assistance nearly overturning tables in the process.

"Okay then Craig", Bebe said smiling conveniently choosing the boy sitting closest to Kyle so that she could scowl at him. Kyle paid her no attention and pretended to be immersed in writing up the prac.

"Careful Craig, you know she turns boys gay", Heidi muttered smirking.

"What's your excuse then Heidi?" Bebe simpered back. "Why do all the boys always avoid you so much?"

"All right class settle down", Mr. Mullen's plant like head bobbed up and down as he turned away from the whiteboard. "We have to concentrate this is a dangerous experiment".

"So what really happened on the weekend?" Tammy asked shuffling closer to Wendy. "Did you really catch Stan and Kyle making out on the dining table? That would have been so hot!"

Wendy rolled her eyes. In a small town like South Park rumours were all the locals had to keep themselves entertained (well until Mecha Streisand turned up again), and this one had gotten way out of control. Wendy had heard several versions of it all more extreme than the next.

"That's not what happened Tam", was all Wendy had the focus to say.

"So are you going to tell me or not?" Tammy was growing impatient. Wendy nudged her with her elbow.

"I'm trying to pay attention okay, we'll talk later", Wendy tried to hush her up and Tammy rolled her eyes annoyed. Whatever, Wendy thought, let her be annoyed, it wasn't like one more pissed off person would make much of a difference in her life.

"Okay class once you've written down and thoroughly read the instructions you may begin your prac", Mr. Mullen said. Wendy almost flew out of her seat in anticipation. It was just a simple little experiment that they were doing. Testing heating agents with the standard use of Bunsen burners and beakers to see how quickly substances would melt.

But Wendy had gotten up early and already swapped several of the ingredients Heidi would use, ingredients that would do more than just melt. The oily, heavy liquid was made up of many components one of them being a drop of nitro. Not a large part mind, nothing big enough to blow the class up, just to blow Heidi up or at least singe the hair from her head.

She waited with bated breath barely able to concentrate on her own experiment as she watch Heidi light the Bunsen burner. At any moment now, even in small doses the stuff was incredibly unstable, any moment it could just go off.

"Okay class make sure that you're measuring this accurately", Mr. Mullen said walking around. "We want to record proper results".

Wendy watched as Heidi put her gauze mat over the flame to shield the petrie dish. Any moment now, any moment. . Wendy was tittering on the edge of her toes even though she knew that she shouldn't get too close, this substance was incredibly temperamental she was surprised that the thunderous movement around them hadn't already set it off.

"Heidi can I borrow your lighter?" Kenny had moved away from Stan to bug Heidi. His frequent death rate didn't slow as he grew older and the staff of South Park High figured it was best to keep him away from anything that may cause general destruction. It didn't prevent him from trying though, after all death was a pretty good excuse for getting out of a science test.

"No you may not", Heidi said paying him no attention as she lifted up the mysterious water like liquid to put it above the flame.

Wendy held her breath. Heidi had barely touched the dish when

KAAA BLAMMMMM!

The entire classroom rocked with the impact of the explosion and everyone felt to the ground. The force of the explosion had thrown Wendy into Tammy. Every single piece of glass had shattered but the general foundations of the classroom still seemed intake if a little screwed. The smell of burnt hair smacked Wendy's nostrils so violently her head reeled back.

"Oh my god! That killed Kenny!" Stan cried from his position on the ground. His hair and face blackened like everyone else's in the room. Wendy wiped the dirt from her eyes.

"That bastard", Kyle responded obligingly.

It was true the orange haired boy lay unmoving by Heidi who was still holding the offending petrie dish her hands shaking.

"Miss. Turner what is the meaning of this?" Mr. Mullens boomed at a bewildered Heidi.

"Sir, I swear, I didn't" Heidi looked genuinely rattled before turning to Wendy and glaring. "Someone set me up!"

Wendy did her best not to look at her.

"I think you have a lot of explaining to do", Mr. Mullens said pulling her from the room. Wendy had to refrain from cheering. Sure there was a student death and a destroyed classroom but it was worth the price of humiliating Heidi. Perhaps she'd even get expelled now.

Everything was going right to plan until Stan starting violently coughing, falling to his knees, his face slowly turning blue.

A/N- Thanks so much everyone for reading and reviewing. It seriously means a lot. Happy New Year and may it be filled with much Candy :D


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty Seven

"Stan!" Wendy's heart and voice cried out as she dashed madly over to his side whilst the rest of the class gathered around to stare. This was Karma, Wendy knew it, this was horrible, horrible karma.

She reached his side and propped him up on her knee. His weight almost too much for her to lift. She yelled furiously at everyone to get back. Stan had been hospitalized for asthma a few times when he was younger but he hadn't had an episode for years. At least none that Wendy knew about.

"Come on Stan!", Wendy said urging him to keep breathing. Her hands were shaking. This couldn't happen. She wouldn't let this happen. She turned the pressing crowd whose presence was making even her suffocate. "Back off retards!"

Mr. Mullen was calling an ambulance whilst Wendy grasped onto Stan's hand. She felt someone tap her shoulder.

She turned around to see Kyle standing there as grave faced as she was. A blue ventolin in his hand.

"Please Wendy", he said softly. "Let me take care of this".

Wendy fell silent she looked back between the pair of them and finally nodded. As much as it hurt her to loose control and scared as she felt she knew that Stan was in better hands with Kyle. She fell back into the watching crowd that Mr. Mullen was desperately try to shoo away.

"Come on dude don't do this" Kyle said lifting Stan up so that he could sit forwards making it easier for him to breathe. Stan didn't reply instead he continue to wheeze desperately the air trapped in his lungs. Kyle held the ventolin to his mouth although it was a little late for preventative measures now.

Wendy could barely control her panic. Why had she never found out what to do with asthmatics? She had known him long enough. With the air trapped in Stan lungs, CPR was basically useless. Looking around wildly she was almost in hysterics. It didn't help that when Kyle reached out for Stan's hand he squeezed it as if holding onto Kyle was holding onto life itself.

"Get me that paper bag!" Kyle told Red who was standing behind him. In the midst of all the drama he had suddenly become the hero. He held out the bag for Stan to breathe into in attempt to length his airway. "Come on dude, just breathe slowly with me now".

Wendy's heart was beating furiously. As mad as she had been with Stan for the past couple of days she didn't want anything bad to happen to him. She realized that she was holding her breath as well and was growing slightly dizzy.

Stan was growing paler he seemed barely aware of what was going on around him anymore though he still clung onto to Kyle tightly. The sight sent unpleasant shivers down Wendy's spine she tried to block out the furious whispers all around her.

Luckily the town was so small that it didn't take long for the ambulance to get to the school. By that time an even larger crowd had gathered around the event. Wendy watched feeling helpless as Stan was lifted onto the stretcher and into the ambulance before being sped away to hospital. She wanted to go with them to offer whatever help she could. There was no way that she could go back to class without knowing if Stan was going to be alright or not.

Slowly the crowd around them began to return to their classes in a mass of excited babbling but Wendy stood silent just looking off at the spot where the ambulance had left her sight. Suddenly she realized that there were tears trickling down her cheeks. Embarrassed she whipped them away then realized that Kyle was standing right beside her just as silently. Only now was he letting his concern show on his face.

He turned to look at Wendy when he caught her eyes on him. There was silence for a moment as the pair wondered what to say.

"He'll be right" Kyle muttered softly before turning to her again. "You'll be right too".

"I hope so" Wendy muttered looking up at the tall redhead. "Thank you for um helping him".

Kyle didn't say anything to that instead he turned his eyes back to the spot off in the distance contemplating.

"And um I'm sorry" Wendy said unable to take her eyes from her shoes this time. "I'm sorry for what I said over the weekend, it was wrong".

Kyle still didn't say anything and Wendy grew a little irritated. It had taken guts to make that apology. He was the one who made the move on _her _boyfriend for fuck's sake! What did he expect? She was just about to withdraw what she had said before he spoke.

"I'm sorry too," Kyle said and Wendy looked up at him surprised. "To Bebe and you, let's just hope Stan's okay all right?"

Wendy nodded trying to figure the guy out. It was weird after all these years of indifference they had finally come to a sort of understanding. Kyle turned and walked away without saying anything else leaving Wendy standing alone.

8

She didn't go back to class after that. She doubted that any of them did, after all the classroom was partially destroyed. She tried to call Bebe. She desperately needed a friend to talk to but the blonde wasn't answering. Frustrated she took our her phone and stared over possible numbers in her contact list.

Her eyes fell on Cartman's number and she figured that she was so desperate that she might as well as give it a try. Even though she doubted that he take anything she'd have to say seriously and she doubted that he'd even care.

Nonetheless she put her phone up to her ear and waited for him to pick up, listening nervously to the dial tone she made her way to her locker so that she could pack up her stuff and head home.

The phone rang out. Frustrated Wendy put her books away for the night and made her way off. Why did no one answer her calls anymore? Storming down the hall way drawing looks from people inside the classrooms who were slowly getting back into the regular school routine, she decided to try again.

"WHO THE FUCK IS THIS?" a voice roared at the over end of the phone. It was so terrifying that Wendy froze in her steps.

"Um wrong number" she squeaked quickly hanging up. It took her a moment before she could walk again. What the hell was going on? How that guy have access to Cartman's personal phone and why was he answering in like that?

A cold shiver went down her spine and she realized that whatever it was it wasn't good. Before she got home she decided to drive by Cartman's place and see what was going on.

8

Borrowing a car from her Mum was no big deal. Once she explained what had happened with Stan she agreed to letting her take it straight away.

Wendy was desperate to find out if Stan was okay but now there was a new burden on her mind. Horrible flash backs were forming in her mind as she remembered Cartman being pushed out of his house by a terribly strong man.

It didn't take long before Wendy pulled up at his house. She stopped the car on the otherside and looked over. She was honestly scared to go near the place. What if the guy was there? Peering around she saw that there were no cars in the driveway and no lights on in the house. It was odd, the place seemed as peaceful as any of the houses around it as if nothing went on at all.

Confused Wendy wondered what she should do. Surely the man wouldn't follow Cartman around or anything so if he wasn't there, and he didn't appear to be, then he would be safe. But it wasn't like she knew him well enough to know where all his secret hideouts were. Growing worried she pulled out her phone again but was to scared to actually call.

She figured that she better get to the hospital anyway to check on Stan.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty Eight

Wendy had been waiting at Hell's Pass for nearly an hour waiting to go into visit Stan. The ward clerk had informed her that Stan wasn't ready for more visitors as his family was already there with him. Wendy wondered if Kyle was there too. Every time Wendy tried to get the ward clerk's attention she simply shifted her eyes and pretended to be busy.

Wendy sighed, her back felt stiff after sitting on the old wooden chair for so long. She had gone through all the trashy magazines on the table in front of her and was growing steadily impatient. She figured that Stan must be okay otherwise he wouldn't have had visitors but it would have been nice to have this officially confirmed by the medical personnel.

She kept checking her phone incessantly. Hoping for a reply from Cartman somehow, though she wasn't sure how she would get one if someone else had already picked up his phone, but all the same she kept checking. She had surprisingly received a message from Bebe wishing her well and hoping that she was okay. Wendy had sent one back asking the same thing glad that they were talking again.

She turned her eyes to the clock and watched the second hand tick devastatingly slowly around the clock face. If she was kept here much longer she was going to go insane. But it was worth it, she reminded herself, she had to see how Stan was for herself. The uneasy feeling in her stomach wasn't' going to go away until she found out what was going on.

Suddenly she heard familiar voices coming from down the hallway. She peered around the corridor and saw that Mr and Mrs Marsh with their daughter Shelley were walking towards her. Randy had his arm around Shelley and was comforting her. Shelley looked simply bored.

All three of them looked up when they noticed her.

"Wendy" Sharon said reaching out to hug her. "Oh it's good to see you, it seems like a long time".

"It's good to see you too Sharon" Wendy tried to smile as Sharon wiped her eyes. "Even if it's under these circumstances".

"Oh Stan will be all right, he always is", Sharon said smiling. Randy clapped Wendy over the shoulder.

"Of course he'll be fine" he said. "Especially when he sees you, I always said that you were the best thing that ever happened to him".

Wendy blushed. "Um thank you Randy".

There was awkward silence for a moment. Wendy had always gotten along well with the Marsh family. She was often there often enough and long enough to be almost considered a second daughter. But of course she hadn't been going there recently and although she doubted that Stan had told his parents that they'd broken up she realized that they must figure that something was up.

"Well" Sharon said with a quick look to her watch. "You better go in there now sweetie, the nurses here are a bit strict about visiting hours. He's just in the end room on the left".

"Thank you", Wendy said. "It was good to see you again".

She smiled at them and then quickly hurried off to the end of the corridor without informing the ward clerk. She was worried if she did then she would be stopped. So instead she just made her way to the end. Trying not to look into the neighbouring rooms out of sheer curiosity.

Finally getting to the room Sharon had mentioned, Wendy knocked on the door and peered around to see that Stan was propped up in bed. His face still pale. Beside him was an unplugged ventilator. She didn't wait for him to acknowledge her instead she simply just walked in.

Stan looked up drowsily at the sudden movement in his room but as soon as he realized he had a visitor an unmistakable smile grew on his face even if it was a weak one.

"Hey" he said sitting up in his bed.

"How are you feeling?" Wendy asked shutting the door behind her and walking over to his bedside.

"I'm okay", Stan said. "They want to keep me here overnight though".

"I'm sorry" Wendy said sitting herself down on a more comfortable looking chair beside his bed. He looked at her softly his happiness barely concealed in his bright blue eyes.

"What have you got to be sorry for? You didn't blow up the classroom", Stan said smiling and Wendy looked away.

"Uh yeah" she said blushing not able to say anything else.

"I'm glad you're here," Stan said reaching out to hold her hand. His cold touch shocked Wendy for a moment but she let it stay there. She even squeezed back. "I didn't expect you to come".

"Why not?" Wendy asked. "I still care about you Stan, I still care about you very much, and I don't want to loose you".

"I don't want to loose you either" Stan said looking serious before smiling. "God it sounds like we're in a corny hospital movie or something".

"I know!" Wendy laughed glad for the break in mood she gave Stan's hand a squeeze. "It's like we should be talking about you never going to war again or something".

Stan snorted. "In really bad Southern accents".

The pair laughed for a moment before silence spread across the room again.

Stan cleared his throat nervously. An uncomfortable express upon his face. Wendy bit her lip she didn't know what to say all of a sudden either.

"I mean it though" He said looking up at her again. "I don't want to loose you".

"And neither do I" Wendy admitted. "Just I don't want to loose you as a friend, we'll always be friends right?"

Stan sighed and let go of her hand.

"It's Cartman isn't it?" he asked bluntly and it was Wendy's turn to sigh. She was tempted to get out of her chair and leave. "Honestly what do you see in him? He's an ignorant, manipulative, racist misogynist! I don't get it!"

"It's not just Cartman!" Wendy said furiously getting out of her chair and waving her arms around. "It's that blonde bimbo you cheated on me with not to mention your overly devoted best friend!"

"Wendy" Stan said his voice suddenly soft again. "I don't want you to leave".

Wendy's eyes flashed with anger. "Really? Well it certainly seems that way at the moment!"

"But I don't" Stan said reached out for her. "I do really care about you and I want you to be happy".

Wendy looked over at his face and could see that he was close to tears. She felt her anger suddenly dissolved as she turned back to sit with him.

"I guess I was just kinda hoping that we could be happy together" he said.

"Stan we can be happy together" Wendy said. "But only as friends".

"But-but" Stan's started to protest but realized quickly that it wasn't going to strengthen his case. He took a deep breath. "I really fucked up didn't I?"

"It's not that" Wendy said getting up to sit beside him on his bed now. "We've been together practically since we were eight years old, we need to have experiences on our own".

Stan nodded. "But we can still be friends?"

Wendy nodded. "We can be good friends, maybe even best".

"I don't know, I can't paint nails as good as Bebe" Stan joked and Wendy smiled glad that he was taking it well.

"All it takes as practice" Wendy smiled giving his hand another squeeze.

"Wendy" Stan sighed. "I really do love you, you know".

"I know", Wendy nodded. "I loved you too".

"I didn't mean to hurt you" Stan insisted.

"I'll be right", Wendy said getting off the bed. "I hope you get better soon, don't miss too much school okay?"

Stan snorted. "I love how that your main concern".

"I'm sorry", Wendy said. "Take care, we'll talk when you're back at school okay".

As Wendy said those words she moved close to Stan and kissed his forehead lightly. A tear escaping from her eyes. "We'll figure things out" she promised. "One day".

And she quickly left before Stan could say anything more and before she could let anymore tears fall. Despite everything she was beginning to feel good, a kind of acceptance running through her. She was glad that Stan was okay and that he was speaking to her again. Why did it always take near death moments for people to speak to her?

Oh well. They came around often enough. She closed Stan's door behind her and almost run smack into another visitor.

Pain seared through her shoulder and Wendy almost cried out until she realized that she had just run into Liane Cartman. She looked a little more disheveled than normal.

Ms. Cartman pretty much had a reputation as the town slut. Several boys in Wendy's class had even lost their virginity to her and there was a good reason why. Even as a heterosexual female Wendy could see that she was very attractive, a curvy, trim figure, shinny dark hair and glittering eyes. But now those eyes were blood shot and her hair was ruffled. She looked pale and tired.

"Oh I'm sorry dear", she said trying to smile at Wendy. Wendy wondered if she recognized her when a thought struck her. What if she was here visiting Cartman?

No, Wendy tried to calm herself down. That couldn't be possible. Ms. Cartman could have been visiting for any number of reasons. She most likely had some elderly relatives or something. But the look in her eyes suggested something different, as if she were in shock.

"You're the 12th grade president aren't you?" she asked suddenly. "Wendy, yes?"

"Well I was", Wendy said blushing, surprised at the question.

"Oh Wendy!" Ms. Cartman grabbed onto her sleeves and began to sob. Wendy tried to step back but Liane had too tight of grasp. "My boy does nothing but talk about you, could you go see him?"

"I'm sorry", Wendy said not sure how to handle the comment. "Go see him?"

"Ohhh it's all my fault!" Ms. Cartman suddenly sobbed. "I'm such a bad Mother, I should have protected him!"

Wendy's eyes narrowed. "Protected him?"

"Yes, yes" Ms. Cartman nodded. "Now I don't' know if he'll wake up or not".

"Wake up?" Wendy felt fear grip her stomach. She thought she was going to vomit. "Ms. Cartman your son's not here?"

Oh please let it not be true, please _please _ let it not be true.

Mrs. Cartman nodded. "Just down the other corridor dear, here, I'll take you".


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty Nine

Wendy's heart lurched so uncomfortably high she was sure that she could feel it in her throat. An iron hand squeezed her insides. She thought she was going to be sick. It took all of her willpower to refrain from shaking Ms. Cartman in desperation.

"Where? Where is he?" she cried drawing looks from passing visitors and medical staff alike. At that particular point in time Wendy didn't even care.

"This way dear", Ms. Cartman held onto Wendy's wrist. Her grip was so tight but Wendy didn't shake her away, she didn't feel like she had the strength too.

Ms. Cartman led her down the corridors away from the general over night rooms and into the theatre section. Wendy was so scared she almost didn't want to go in, but she had to know what was going on. The older woman took Wendy through numerous twists and turns. Wendy's heart rate increasing with each step. She had no idea that Hells Pass was this infuriatingly big.

Finally Ms. Cartman pushed open a closed door. Wendy's eyes popped when she saw what was inside. She had been expecting it but it shocked her all the same.

Cartman lay unconscious in a bed his head dropping back onto a large pillow. There were drips in his arms and a heart rate monitor slowly beeping in the background. There were two doctors and five nurses tending to him. They weren't operating just watching. Wendy peered around so that she could catch a glimpse of Cartman's face and immediately wished that she hadn't done so.

He was almost unrecognizable. His face beaten into a bloody pulp, large bruises already spreading across his skin and his eyes were black and swollen. Wendy couldn't take it anymore. She screamed, drawing the attention of the medical cast.

"Miss you can't be here!" One of the doctor's said sternly. "He is still under intensive observation".

"Is he going to be all right?" Wendy asked ignoring the comment.

The doctor must have seen something in her face because his eyes softened and he sighed. "I honestly can't say, he's in a pretty bad way, are you his sister or something?"

"No", Wendy said thinking quickly. "I'm his girlfriend".

"Girlfriend?" Ms. Cartman looked at Wendy with wide eye surprise. Wendy felt herself blush. "Why he never told me that he had a girlfriend".

The doctor eyed Wendy suspiciously and she wished that Ms. Cartman had just kept her mouth shut.

"Well Miss, we've done all we can for him at the moment, he probably won't be moved from here unless his condition worsens, I'm sorry, that's all I tell you at the moment".

Ms. Cartman was sobbing clutching onto Wendy and crying. "My boy, my poor boy".

Wendy stood frozen unable to look away from Cartman's beaten face. It literally made her blood curl and she was sure that she was going to be sick. She knew what must have happened but she didn't want to think about it. She could only think about Cartman getting better as if somehow concentrating all her hopes on him would make it so. She didn't want to think about that horrible man who had done this.

"You really should leave, we're still working, we'll let you know as soon as anything happens". The Doctor took a step forward slowly forcing Ms. Cartman and Wendy out of the room. Wendy desperately peering around him trying to see Cartman. She feared that the moment she looked away would be the last moment she ever saw him.

God, now the blubbering mass had reduced her tears. She tried to hold them back as long as anyone didn't say anything more to her she would be okay.

Ms. Cartman argued with the doctor for a moment but he wouldn't let them stay. With legs like lead Wendy turned away.

"Do you need a lift home dear?" Ms. Cartman asked drying her eyes.

Wendy shook her head. Her throat was so dry she knew that if she spoke too much she would burst out in tears again. "I'm fine thank you Ms. Cartman" was all she could manage before Ms. Cartman leaned over and grabbed her hugging her fiercely.

When Wendy finally managed to shake her off she said goodbye and walked back to her mother's car.

School was torture. There was absolutely no way that Wendy could focus. The inane banter buzzed around her head like a swarm of angry bees. It angered her. How could everyone be talking about such banal subject like nail polish and dating when Cartman was like that? At times she was close to tears.

It probably didn't help that she hadn't told anyone about it. A few people had asked her about Stan and if he was all right but no one seemed to notice that Cartman had gone. No one seemed to care actually, if anything they seemed relieved at the fact.

Everyone else was getting along with the normal lives but Wendy felt like she was left on hold. She could barely breathe. Her head was dizzy and she couldn't pay attention to anything. She sat by herself in classes and went to library on breaks. The only thing on her mind was getting back to the hospital to check on Cartman after school.

She wondered if there had been any improvement in his condition. But surely she would have been told, wouldn't she? Then Liane Cartman didn't seem like the most put together person in the world. Wendy wasn't even sure if she'd know how to contact her.

Wendy pulled out her phone and her fingers hovered over the numbers wondering whether she should contact Ms. Cartman or not. But she remembered the voice of that arsehole. She shuddered. She put her phone away knowing that she wasn't ready to face that again. No, she would drop right by hospital as soon as she could borrow a car. She would really hassle the doctors to find out what was going on. This time, she _would _get answers!

"Weds?"

Wendy snapped out of her reverie to see Bebe standing there clutching books against her chest. It took Wendy a moment to register what was going on, the blonde girl standing in a library at lunch time with books in hand just looked so alien.

"Oh hey", Wendy tried to smile. Bebe's eyes looked soft as she walked over to her best friend. The pair still weren't on great speaking terms but Wendy could still call her that.

"Can I sit?" Bebe asked and Wendy nodded.

The blonde put her books on the table and took the seat next to Wendy.

"What's going on?" she asked directly and Wendy's airways tightened. She didn't know if she could go through this all again. "It's not Heidi, is it?"

Wendy sighed. "No, it's not Heidi".

"Well then what's bothering you? You look like you're about to be shot", Bebe said. Wendy bit her lip, she could feel tears welling up in her eyes and she didn't want to let them go here. She knew that if she started talking then she wouldn't be able to hold them back.

"It's hard to talk about okay?" Wendy gulped that small sentence was all it took for the tears to escape her eyes and Bebe looked over at her shocked.

It didn't take long before the blond girl drew her into a hug and let her cry against her. Wendy was so glad that there was no one in the library other than that one fat kid on the computer who was too busy with World of Warcraft to notice anything in the real world and that one librarian who was similarly buried in her romance novels.

"Oh Weds", Bebe sighed stroking her best friend's hair in comfort. "Please talk to me".

Wendy took a deep breath in order to calm herself and slowly explained what had happened. Explaining took more of an effort than she thought but it was worth it in the end, just to have someone who understood.

"I can come with you after school if you want", Bebe offered. "I drove today, it would save you going back home".

Wendy nodded. She wasn't sure if she wanted Bebe around but getting there as soon as possible was on her high list of priorities at the moment, she was willing to make the sacrifice. "Yeah thanks that would be good".

The bell went and the pair of them left for class together, slowly talking about more and more normal subjects. Wendy appreciated Bebe's efforts but she didn't have the energy to talk about that stuff. She was instead focused on getting to Cartman. Maybe some good news had come through.

8

By the end of the day Wendy was positively squirming in her seat. The clock had slowed down so much that it was excruciating just to look at it. It didn't help that they were stuck in the most boring History class that Wendy had ever attended.

She hadn't taken in a single word of anything that the teacher had said let alone taken any notes. She kept trying to avoid worried looks from Bebe. She kept checking her phone under the desk maybe, any second now there would be a message from Ms. Cartman. Wendy clung to the hopeless possibility but realized that she would probably have to go round to the hospital herself again.

8

When the bell finally rang Wendy literally dragged Bebe to her car. Her patience had officially ended and she couldn't wait anymore. Ignoring the strange looks that they were getting and the murmurs that followed Wendy almost pushed Bebe into her car.

"All right, all right settle", Bebe said opened the door up and sliding inside. "A few minutes isn't going to make a huge difference you know".

The logical part of Wendy's mind knew that but she just couldn't shake the feeling that if she wasn't there as soon as she possibly could be then it could be too late. She got into Bebe's car and flipped open her phone again. It was depressingly empty. But she tried not to let that bother her. She felt a slow burning relief that she was finally able to set off to do what she wanted to but also a contradictory fear growing within her as if preparing her for the worst.

She bit her lip and remained silent. Bebe looked over her at time to time, Wendy couldn't tell if her eyes held sympathy or irritation, probably a little bit of both.

"Bebe", Wendy looked over at her friend as she took a corner. "I really appreciate this, thank you so much".

"No problem", Bebe said not taking her eyes from the road. "After all it's pretty annoying to see you moping around like that, not a good look for you".

Wendy rolled her eyes but she was glad that their friendship was slowly mending itself again. At least that was something that she could always rely upon.

Pulling up at the hospital, Wendy was suddenly too afraid to leave the car. She was torn with two conflicting desires to leap out of the car and to hide away from the bad news.

Bebe looked at her bemused. All of a sudden the blonde was pulling her from the car. "Come on," she said. "You have to do this for yourself".

Wendy nodded and slowly got to her feet her knees shaking. Bebe held her up. Wendy knew that she would never be able to express how grateful she was to the blonde girl. All doubts of having her around quickly faded from her mind she was so glad that she was there.

The pair of them slowly walked towards the hospital. Wendy groaned when she realized that the same bossy ward clerk was there. The old snob seemed to only remembered her too well.

"You know operating rooms are off limits", she said snootily when Wendy and Bebe approached the desk. "It's quite dangerous for the patients and the staff".

"I apologize" Wendy said coldly she didn't want this right now. "Has Eric Cartman been moved from the operating theatre?"

The ward clerk looked down to check her records deliberately taking time. Wendy was fuming, did this bitch enjoying playing with lives? Bebe held onto her friend's sleeve and pulled her back as if she was worried that her friend might strike the clerk.

"Yes he has, but he's not awake yet, you can go see him but I'm not sure what good it will do".

Wendy brightened if he had moved that had to be a good sign right? That means he didn't need any more work.

"What room is he in?"

The ward clerk sighed as if this were the most impossible question in the world and not an everyday occurrence in her job.

"Room 312, down that way?" she indicated with a flick of her hand and Wendy set off tugging Bebe behind her. Feeling of excitement now outweighing feelings of dread. She skipped by the other rooms trying to ignore the smells of death and dying as she went.

Bebe hung back hesitatingly looking for an opportunity to leave Wendy on her own, which was difficult to do with Wendy's iron grasp around her wrist.

Reaching the room, Wendy tentatively pushed at the door, she dropped Bebe's hand suddenly afraid of what she might find.

"I'll just give you a moment", Bebe said backing off. Wendy looked back at her desperately, suddenly she wanted her to stay but knew she couldn't force her.

Pushing open the door, she found that Cartman was asleep propped up on his back by a pillow there were still tubes and drips in his arms. His arms bandaged and the bruising and scaring across his face seemed to have gotten worse. What had that fucker done?

Slowly creeping over she pulled the chair up by his bed and looked over his face. His expression wasn't restful, it looked like even his sleep was painful. She felt like crying all over again.

"Oh Cartman" She muttered. "Please get better".

She felt so childlike, so stupid, so glad that he couldn't hear her. Looking around she made sure that she was alone before reaching out and squeezing his hand wishing that it could squeeze back. She traced his bruised skin with her fingertips sure that her heart was breaking. "Please, for me?"

A/N- Thank you for reading :) One more chapter ( a long one!) left. Reviews and reviewers are loved :D


	30. Chapter 30

A/N- Long chapter ahead, sorry :( Once again South Park and it's characters belong to the incredibly gorgeous Matt Stone and Trey Parker and I'm not making any profit out of this.

Chapter Thirty

Wendy repeated this routine everyday for the next week. Forcing herself to focus through class and then rushing straight off towards the hospital afterwards. Some of the time Bebe drove her and waited outside the room but there was never any change in Cartman's condition.

Stan was back at school and everyone seemed relieved to see him. The gay jibes had been forgotten as they realized how badly their football team was suffering in Stan's absence and he was greeted back with open arms. Wendy had said a few quick words to him whilst in a group but hadn't had a chance to speak to him on his own yet. Strangely enough neither seemed to want that one on one time anymore. Wendy definitely had more pressing issues on her mind.

She was keeping up with her homework. How she wasn't sure but it proved a good distraction. Somewhat boldly she had visited Ms. Cartman at her house. The middle aged woman seemed glad for the visit, it was very obvious that she was lonely without her one and only son there. It was clear that Cartman was her whole world.

Ms. Cartman used to doting him on him prepared hot chocolate and a large snack for Wendy, which she couldn't finish and the two of them sat in the lounge room talking. Liane explained about her ex partner, a boyfriend with a jealous streak that she tried to get rid of a long time ago.

"It was why I moved here actually," Mrs. Cartman said pushing a tray of cookies towards Wendy who tried to politely reject them. "I didn't think anyone would follow me to South Park".

She explained how Cartman had stood up for her and how she had considered moving again. "But Eric seemed happy here, I didn't want to disturb him".

For the most part Wendy just nodded and listened, Ms. Cartman was certainly different from most adults she knew. In a strange way Wendy liked spending time with the older woman. She had never met an adult quite like her. As she spoke with her she observed certain mannerisms that reminded her of Cartman. Their dark sharp eyes were the same even if Ms. Cartman's were pools of softness whilst Cartman's were normally drawn into slits of hatred.

Ms. Cartman was probably the most giving person that Wendy had ever meant. She wondered what Cartman had taken from this. What it must feel like to see someone so loving, hurt so much by people whom she let in. No wonder he was so guarded.

The pair arranged to visit Cartman together, for Liane was spending most of her time there now, even out of visiting hours she was there waiting at the hospital talking with the staff, making baked goods for the nurses. Wendy didn't mind going along with her.

88888

A week passed and Cartman was still on life support. The doctors weren't giving any information or updates and Wendy had stopped asking for them. She was left instead to prepare for the worst. She drifted along the school corridors like a ghost. She floated through the hallways drawing worried looks from classmates and teachers alike.

She made her way to her locker, reaching up to open the lock she sighed. How could every day life just go on like this?

"Hey," Wendy felt a familiar hand on her shoulder. She turned around from her locker to see Stan there, soft concern in his blue eyes. "What's up?"

"I'm fine Stan," Wendy couldn't' help the heavy sigh that slipped from her lips and Stan knew her well enough not to disregard it.

"Come on Wendy," Stan said turning her around and putting his hands on her shoulders. "I've been watching you, you're not fine".

Wendy bit her lip, could he really not know what had happened? Wasn't he worried that Cartman hadn't turned up at school for so long or did he really just honestly not care?

"I thought we were going to be friends," Stan smiled, there was nothing threatening or defensive in his tone. "And friends talk to each other right?"

Wendy looked around. Either Stan seriously didn't know about Cartman or he hadn't managed to make the connection between that event and her unhappiness.

"Um, have you heard from Cartman recently?" Wendy figured that this was the best way of phrasing it. It was vague enough for Stan to misunderstand if eh didn't know and would be enough for him to realize if he did know.

Stan drew back his eyes narrowing a little. Wendy mentally smacked herself for bringing Cartman up in front of her ex boyfriend. If he was really her friend then she could talk to him openly and honestly, but it was a little more complicated than that.

"Wow," Stan said softly, the expression in his eyes this time was unreadable. "You really care about him don't you?"

Wendy didn't want to hurt Stan but she was hurting too much herself. She didn't have the energy to deny it. Instead of trying to comfort him, she just started to sob. It was all too much. Stan stood back from her in awe before drawing her to his chest and holding her as she cried.

88888

After all that had happened, Wendy wasn't sure how she'd gathered up the strength to return to the hospital, but here she was again, sitting in the waiting room, waiting for visiting hours to commence. She had brought some study with her but she could barely concentrate, instead she flipped through the pages aimlessly, waiting for the clock to tick over to four o'clock.

The snooty ward clerk of course was not going to let in until her watch had officially ticked over at the hour and not a second before. Both of them knew this and the clerk seemed to take pleasure in lording the power over Wendy, the high school student did her best to ignore it. But she couldn't pretend that she didn't care and when her watch ticked over she practically jumped up. The ward clerk watched her in amusement, stalling for a moment before letting her pass.

Wendy sighed, amusing herself with ways of how to humiliate that awful woman, but any serious plans were forgotten as she knocked at Cartman's door, not expecting a response she pushed it open, and found him laying as he had been all this time on his back, the same wounded expression on his face.

Wendy shut the door slowly behind her, surprised that Ms. Cartman wasn't there too, she set herself up on the bedside chair peering over at his batted body.

She bit her lip to hold back the tears. Even though she knew what to expect and she had seen the full of extent of his injuries and knew them well, seeing them again still shocked her. It was too unbelievable. The swelling was going down but the bruises were not flushed a terrifying shade of red. She had never seen bruises this colour before. Wendy reached out gingerly, wanting to touch him but fearing it would hurt him more. She withdrew her hand for a moment before delicately stroking a spot of clear skin on his left cheek. Feeling his cold, dry skin at her fingertips was enough to bring a fresh lot of tears to her eyes.

"God you're such an arse," Wendy muttered from behind gritted teeth. "Why do you make me do this huh? You'll probably wake up and be just fine and tell me to fuck off home or something".

Wendy snorted. "Or you'll probably wake up with retrograde amnesia, and forget that I ever existed".

Wendy moved her hand from Cartman's face and grasped at his exposed hand, one of the few parts of him that didn't appear to be damaged. She held onto it delicately her hands stroking Cartman's fingers before gripping them tightly, her hand beginning to shake.

She had a strange longing to shift him over so that she could fit on the bed lying beside him being as close as she could, but she didn't have the strength too. She was almost angry with herself that someone could make her feel this way. Her lip quivered.

"That is a far too overused plotline," came a grunt from the bed and Wendy fell back in surprise, the chair falling to the ground with a clatter as Cartman shifted his head.

"What?" Wendy barked, immediately getting to her feet. She had heard that sometimes people did or said strange things in their sleep, but did the same rule apply to comas?

"Are you going deaf ho?" a smile spread across his face and his eyes flickered open.

"Oh my god Cartman!" Wendy said wanting to hug him and hit him at the same time. Then realizing that both of them would probably be equally as bad for him and refrained. "You're awake! Cartman! Oh my god!"

The happiness that burst inside her had reduced her into a incoherent mess. Relief flooded through her and she felt warm and alive for the first time in over a week. Then she realized that he probably needed medical attention.

"Nurse! Nurse!" she cried running from the room.

Cartman stared after her his mouth hanging open. "Wendy-" he muttered annoyed that their private moment had been cut short. He had wanted her to stay with him on and to stroke her soft hair.

Wendy was back quickly with a doctor and two nurses by her side. Having explained the situation they dashed to Cartman's room and were just as fast to push her aside, preventing her from entering again.

"We're sorry miss, but we have to run some tests, you'll just have to wait," the doctor said almost shoving her from the door. Wendy was furious. Cartman had finally gained consciousness and she was so tantalizingly close to speaking with him yet too far away. She cursed her logic in going to get him help.

"How long will these tests take?" Wendy asked.

"We can't be sure, best come back tomorrow," one of the nurses said as the doctor disappeared behind the door.

"I'll wait," Wendy said from behind gritted teeth.

And she did.

She sat back in the waiting room with her textbooks open in front of her. Of course it was even harder for her to focus on them than it was before. Wendy was utterly and thoroughly relieved but her patience was about to snap. She just wanted to see Cartman goddamn it! Didn't she deserve to?

She called home and told her mum that she was staying over at Bebe's. Her mum was a bit upset with the late notice but accepted the fact reluctantly. Wendy sent Bebe a message telling her that Cartman's condition was improving. She had even tried calling Ms. Cartman but had so far been unsuccessful.

She watched as the clock ticked on late into the night. She found a spare apple in her school bag and devoured it almost instantly. She was tempted to go out to find something more substantial to eat but was scared too in case she missed her opportunity to see Cartman. Coming back tomorrow just wasn't an option. No, she would wait.

After what seemed like an eternity, Wendy heard someone call out to her.

"Miss."

Wendy's head snapped up. It was one of the nurses who had been tending to Cartman. Wendy perked up. If she had time to go get her then surely that meant they were nearly done.

"Yes?" Wendy said looking at the nurse straight in the eyes.

"Miss, maybe it's best if you went home, we're not sure how much longer we could be".

Wendy stared, a whole new frustration and disappointment tearing through her. If she had to wait any longer she would have to tear down the door and throw everyone aside herself.

She began to pace madly around the room, there was so much pent up energy in her body that she felt like she was going to explode. There was no way that she could just sit and wait. Her heart was pounding, if she didn't get to see him soon she didn't know what she was going to do. The next person who came out and told her that she couldn't see him was at high risk of being punched.

The other visitors and patients stared at her strangely, but Wendy was too much in her own mind to care, let alone notice them. Her ears kept perking up when she heard footsteps but it was never anyone she wanted to see.

Visitors and short term patients slowly dwindled out of the hospital leaving Wendy on her own as the sunset outside. It was starting to get cold and the day staff began to leave without turning heating on.

The ward clerk taped on her shoulder whilst she was in midst of one of her wild paces around the room. The movement surprised her so much that she nearly fell into the older woman. The clerk scowled.

"I think it's best if you go home," she said with a surprising touch of kindness in her voice that Wendy hadn't heard before. It sounded almost foreign. "Visiting hours are long over, and your friend needs his rest".

"Please," Wendy said wondering if this time she would be able to successfully guilt trip the woman. "I have to see him, even if he's just asleep".

The clerk rolled her eyes. "All right, I'll go see how they're going".

Surprised with this sudden development, Wendy was nether less pleased, the build up tension softened within her and she relaxed in a chair whilst the clerk set off on her behalf. She probably just wanted her out so that she could finish her shift but this didn't matter to Wendy.

She waited anxiously for the clerk to return. The damn bitch would probably take her time just to make Wendy wait that little bit longer. She bit her lip nervously.

"Wendy."

Wendy looked up, surprised that the clerk had somehow figured out her name.

"Yes?"

"They've finished testing, and it sounds like he's making good progress, but he's sleeping now, do you still want-"

"Of course," Wendy said before the clerk could even finish her sentence. A heavy disappointment filled her, but at least she could just see him, then she would go home and hopefully be back tomorrow.

The clerk sighed. "Only fifteen minutes okay? I'll be timing you."

Suddenly the desire to see him burst and was replaced with a strange fear. What if he just told her to fuck off? Wendy had to admit that this was probably the most likely scenario. She nervously made her way to his room. He would probably just be asleep and she would have spent all this furious energy on stressing herself out and nothing else.

Poking the door open nervously she was met with a dim light that barely illuminated the room. It took her a moment before she could actually make anything out after being exposed to the bright lights of the hospital corridor. But there Cartman was sure enough sound asleep, he was even snoring a little, as if this was no big deal.

Wendy snorted. "You arsehole."

She was just too exhausted from the change of swirling of emotions that she barely knew what she wanted anymore. Maybe it was best if she just went home to bed and slept until four o'clock the next day, numbing her mind and emotions.

Walking over she looked over his sleeping form. He seemed more relaxed than he had been in a long time, there was almost a serene looking expression on his face. A smile twitched on Wendy's lips. After everything she was glad that she had came just to see him a little better. Things would improve slowly. She placed a hand to his forehead his skin was cool and soft, he shifted slightly in his sleep as her hand left him.

Wendy looked around suspiciously, even though she knew they were alone she half expected someone to walk in. When she was satisfied that there were completely alone she leant down and kissed his forehead her hair brushing against his face. She straightened up and sighed. Cartman was still sleeping. She had best leave him be.

Turning around she made her way back to the door.

"Wendy?"

Wendy spun around immediately her eyes wide open. Cartman was rubbing his eyes.

"You waited? All this time?" his voice was dry and croaky but there was sincerity to it as well. Suddenly Wendy didn't know what to say. She felt embarrassed now the moment had come.

"Well I-" Wendy looked up at him surprised. "I'm glad that you're feeling better, I've gotta um go home now".

With the flight response actively taking over her body Wendy was ready to fly right out of the door.

"Wendy!" Cartman said sitting up in his bed and reaching out for her. "You're seriously going to go now? After waiting all afternoon?"

It was good to hear his voice but somehow Wendy felt like crying again. She didn't think she had any tears left. She had to leave before he saw her cry.

"Um yep," she replied turning back for a brief moment before taking a few steps out.

"Wait!" Cartman cried out sudden urgency in his voice and Wendy was suddenly frozen to the spot. Her eyes wide. "Why would you do this?"

Wendy sighed suddenly finding the ability to move again. She walked slowly over to his bedside and perched herself beside him. "Because I care too fucking much for you fatass".

Cartman blinked with wide eyes as though he didn't understand what she had just said. But when the thoughts finally registered in his head he couldn't help smiling.

"Come here," he beckoned rearranging himself in the bed so that she could lie in the bed beside him. He drew her into his arms and Wendy buried herself against his chest. Her tears dampening his shirt.

"God I was so fucking worried," she said curling into his bruised body. Cartman cringed a little. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry about it," he said stoically his breath tickling her forehead. "I'm glad you're here."

He stroked a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead softly. She snuggled up against his body clutching onto him as if afraid he would disappear if she let go. He held her to him their hearts beating against each other. Even though she couldn't stop crying Wendy couldn't remember feeling this good. Having Cartman's body up against her felt so wonderful she could barely breathe.

His soft breath felt good at the top of her head and she sighed deeply in happiness. Cartman stroked her back. His fingers delicately tracing her skin forming small circles. Wendy shivered despite the warmth.

"Cartman," She said breathlessly trying to gather up the courage to say what she had been meaning to for a while. Maybe this was the best time to say it, after all it seemed like those drugs and life support systems had reduced Cartman to an uncharacteristic mass of tenderness. Maybe if she said it now then she wouldn't be insulted, ridiculed and flung off the bed as Cartman rolled around in laughter.

"What ho?"

Wendy fumed. It would be like him to ruin the perfect moment, shatter all of her illusions like that in one single moment. She wanted to strike him to make him feel the same way that he made her feel.

"What?" Cartman asked. His voice sounded a bit more like his own selfish impatient tone then. "What is it?"

"I fucking like you you bastard!" Wendy said springing from the bed and practically shouting at him. She pressed her fists together in anger.

Cartman blinked owlishly. It took a moment for her words to hit him. When they did he smiled and moved up from his bed standing nimbly for the first time in over a week on his own feet. Wendy stared at him the aggression fading from her blood.

"Cartman," she said surprised. "You really should rest."

"Come here hippy," Cartman said softly, a pleased smirk on his face and before Wendy could protest he had brought his lips to hers and kissed her deeply. He had her tightly within his grasp before she could struggle away leaving her no choice but to submit to the kiss.

Cartman held her face up so that she had to look directly into his eyes. "Wendy, I like you too, like you a lot actually".

Wendy blushed just as Cartman leaned down to kiss her the door swung open.

"Okay that is well and truly over fifteen minutes you-" The pair spun around to see the surprised face of ward clerk. "Ohh".

Awkward silence ensued.

"I guess you can have five more minutes, but that's it, I want to go home," She said shutting the door with a combination with amusement and embarrassment.

Wendy and Cartman looked at each other sheepishly. Cartman stroked Wendy's hair again smiling. "Well I think this could work."

Wendy smiled back before letting him dip her into a sweet kiss. The pair using up the rest of their fives minutes as best as they possibly could.

Fin

A/N- I hope you enjoyed my first ever fanfic. Thanks so much for reading. I really appreciate your thoughts and feedback. I plan on sticking around this fandom a bit so I want to make my stuff as good as it possibly can be. I have a few more SP projects in store that I've been working on, some one shots as well as another multichip (just shorter this time promise) that is a kind of prequel to this fic. See you round love Nerdy xox


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